INFRARENAL AORTIC-ANEURYSM IN BEHCETS-DISEASE

A 55-year old Turkish male was admitted with a staged aortic rupture requiring emergent surgical resection of the infrarenal aorta. Anamnesis and typical clinical findings (aphthosis, genital ulcers, pustulosis, arthritis) allowed the postoperative diagnosis of Behcet's disease. This etiologically unclear disease rarely occurs in patients from western European countries. Main symptoms are concerning the skin, the mucous membranes, and the eyes. The vascular system may occasionally be involved. In patients presenting with inflammatory arterial aneurysms, arterial or venous occlusions, careful search for the main symptoms will provide adequate diagnosis. Acute arterial affections, especially aneurysms, often urge surgical treatment. Until now, there is no effective medical prophylaxis.