Behçet's Disease and Aneurysms: A Case Series of Vascular Involvement and Outcomes

Cureus. 2024 Oct 26;16(10):e72429. doi: 10.7759/cureus.72429. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Large vessel vasculitis (LVV) is a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the aorta and its major branches, causing stenosis, aneurysms, or dissections. LVV can be associated with various disorders, such as IgG4-related disease, Takayasu arteritis, giant cell arteritis, and Behcet's disease. Aneurysms due to Behcet's disease are rare and challenging to manage, as they have high rates of morbidity and mortality. Endovascular repair combined with immunosuppression has emerged as a preferred option over open surgery in recent years. However, open repair may still be indicated in some cases where endovascular repair is not feasible or available. We present a case series of four patients with LVV and coexisting aneurysms who underwent surgical repair at tertiary care hospitals in Islamabad and Qatar. Our aim is to demonstrate the clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of these patients and to emphasize the importance of early involvement of vascular surgeons in the care of LVV patients.

Keywords: aneurysms; behchet’s disease; peripheral arterial aneurysms; pseudoaneurysm; vasculitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports