[Contribution to the recognition of Mondor's phlebitis]

The AA. have carried out a complete review of the world literature on Mondor phlebitis of the last 50 years (214 cases) pointing out the clinic and epidemiologic characteristics and those of a possible aetiogenesis. 11 personal cases, detailed characteristics of which are given, have been presented. The female sex is the most affected (63,3%) and the most frequent aetiopatogenetic factors are: accidental or surgical traumas (35,7%), muscular stresses (6,3%, centres of infection (4,3%, concomitant mammary pathology (2,4%). The most common symptom is pain (51%) with or without tension sensation (28,9%). The histologic aspect relevant to the biopsy, shows the characteristics of thrombophlebitis non specific, almost always without periphlebitis. The cases presented by the AA. are characterized by the high incidence of relapses (45,4% against 5% of the total cases in the world) as well as by the occasional positivity of the specific serum-agglutination for the Rickettsia Q18 (2 cases out of 11) and the reduction of some immunologic tests (1 cases out of 11). This latter data are leading to two aetiopatogenetic hypothesis: the infective and immunitary one.