THE SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF VASCULAR AND GASTROINTESTINAL IMPLICATIONS IN BEHCET-DISEASE

This study reports 4 cases of Behcet Syndrome which came under our obs ervation and were surgically treated for vascular or gastrointestinal manifestations, These cases included 3 males and 1 female, mean age 26 .5 years, of which 2 were treated with implantation of prosthesis for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta with recurrence of Behcet vasculitis a nd prosthesis substitution three years later in one case, I with total colectomy for ulcerous rectocolitis, while the last case (female) req uired excision and plastic reconstruction, for a perforated duodenal u lcer, Immediate and long-term results of the surgical treatment of the gastrointestinal and vascular manifestations and/or complications wer e satisfactory, whereas the long-term results of the medical treatment of the basic disease were unsuccessful in 50% of cases, BS is a rare affliction, whose pathogenesis is still poorly defined and in which th e results of medical treatment cannot be regarded as satisfactory to d ate, Surgical treatment of its vascular and gastrointestinal manifesta tions and complications, on the other hand, was effective in our exper ience.