The diagnosis of PMD can be made with a physical exam andultrasound.
This article discusses penile Mondor’s disease and its symptoms and causes.
It also looks at how the condition is diagnosed and treated.
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What Is Penile Mondor’s Disease?
Thrombophlebitis is an inflammatory process occurring in veins that leads to the formation of blood clots (thrombi).
It is typically brought on by disorders that increase blood clotting.These include certain genetic disorders that run through families.
For example, hereditary antithrombin III deficiency is linked todeep vein thrombosis (DVT).
The smaller tributary veins that branch off the dorsal vein can also be affected.
Mondor’s disease is considered rare with fewer than 400 cases reported in medical literature worldwide.
And, when they do, the symptoms may already have begun to resolve or have disappeared completely.
This will create a rope-like mass just beneath the skin running anywhere from 1 to 4 inches in length.
Most cases will return to normal within four to six weeks.
Some cases of PMD are a one-time, isolated event.
Others may be recurrent and be instigated by the same or similar precipitating event.
Genetics
Clearly, not anyone with the risk factors listed above will develop PMD.
Because of this, many scientists believe that certain people have a genetic predisposition for PMD.
Moreover, the parent with the gene mutation will also have the disorder.
Despite the association, not everyone with PMD will have these or any other gene mutation linked to hypercoagulation.
PMD can often be diagnosed with a physical exam and a review of the person’s medical history.
An ultrasound and other tests may be used to confirm the diagnosis.
PMD has certain telltale signs.
A color Doppler ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to show blood moving through blood vessels.
It shows the flow in the arteries into and the veins out of the penis.
Changes in color correspond to the speed and direction of the blood flow.
On a color Doppler ultrasound, there will be no evidence of restricted blood flow in the dorsal vein.
On rare occasions,genetic testsmay be ordered to screen for hypocoagulative disorders.
The treatment of PMD is generally supportive to relieve pain and inflammation.
If diagnosed with PMD, you should abstain from sex (including masturbation) until the symptoms resolve.
Even if there is no pain, sex could worsen the lesion and slow the healing process.
Topical creams containing the anticoagulantheparinmay also be prescribed to help break down the blood clot.
Neither preparation is known to be consistently beneficial.
More controversial is the use of oral heparin to treat refractory (treatment-resistant) PMD.
Surgery
If PMD is persistent and severe, surgery may be a more reasonablealbeit invasiveoption.
Penile thrombectomy with resection can usually be performed on an outpatient basis.
The healing and recovery time takes around eight weeks.
Penile Mondor’s disease is usually diagnosed based on appearance and/or with ultrasound.
The condition usually resolves on its own within a few weeks, and treatment typically involves pain relief.
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