New Look at Clinical Entities

There have only been a few reports about thrombotic events in the volar digital veins. The observation of 2 such cases gives reason to discuss this rare symptomatology. Thrombosis of the digital veins can be categorised into three subtypes: the first shows clinical similarity to thrombotic events in veins or varicose veins of the limbs and may be related to a hypercoagulable state; the second group develops in a pre-existing normal vein or an acquired venous cavernoma and does not show clinical or histological signs of inflammation; the third category resembles Mondor’s disease and may be named Mondor’s phlebitis of the finger; histopathological examination has yet to be done. In any case of thrombosis of the volar digital veins, an inherited or acquired hypercoagulable state must be ruled out. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel