Mondor’s disease is a disease that causes thrombophlebitis (inflammation leading to blood clots) in the superficial veins of the penis. Penile Mondor’s disease is a rare condition that is more aggravating than damaging and almost always resolves on its own. However, it is wise for the affected man to see a doctor if symptoms are severe or develop for no apparent reason. The examination may reveal the root cause of the condition, which can be treated, or identify the trigger for the disease so that the disorder can be prevented in the future. It is recommended that the patient seek help from a specialist (urologist). What are the causes of Mondor’s disease of the penis? Because Mondor disease is so rarely diagnosed, the exact cause of the condition is poorly understood. Based on current case reports, Mondor’s disease usually occurs as a result of mechanical trauma to the penis. At the same time, there is evidence that Mondor’s disease can be secondary – due to disease, infections or operations that directly or indirectly affect the penis. The list of possible causes of Mondor’s disease of the penis is extensive and may include: Prolonged, intense or frequent sex; Intense sex after prolonged abstinence; Penile injury; Use of vacuum pumps in erectile dysfunction; Use of injected intracavernous drugs to treat erectile dysfunction; Syphilis; Candidiasis of the penis (thrush); Bekhterev’s disease; Pelvic cancer, such as prostate cancer and bladder cancer; Metastatic pancreatic cancer; Surgical procedures such as inguinal hernia surgery, orchiopexy (used to correct an undescended testicle) and varicocelectomy (used to treat a varicocele). Other predisposing factors for penile Mondor disease include thrombophilia (an imbalance in clotting factors), intravenous drug abuse, and anamnesis (medical history) of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). What genetic factors predispose to penile Mondor disease? Not every man who is affected by the risk factors listed above develops penile Mondor disease. Because of this, many scientists believe that certain people have a genetic predisposition to the condition. There are several gene mutations associated with penile Mondor disease that can lead to a hypercoagulable condition (meaning a tendency for the blood to clot excessively). This includes antithrombin III deficiency as well as protein S deficiency, protein C deficiency, factor V Leiden mutation and PT 20210 mutation. What all these disorders share is an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, meaning that only one gene mutation passed down from one parent is needed for a child to develop the disorder (in this case, hypercoagulation). Additionally, the parent with the gene mutation will also have a form of Mondor’s disease. However,not every patient with penile Mondor disease has these or other gene mutations associated with hypercoagulation. It is not yet clear how much genetic predisposition affects the likelihood of penile Mondor disease in relation to other known risk factors. References: 1. Amano M, Shimizu. Mondor’s disease: a review of the literature 2. Rountree KM, Barazi H, Aulick NF. Mondor disease 3. Genetics and Rare Diseases Information Center. Hereditary antithrombin deficiency 4. Czysz A, Higbee SL. Superficial thrombophlebitis