Aortic rupture in Behcet's disease

Behcet's disease is a vasculitis of unknown aetiology, which becomes appare nt by ocular and mucocutaneous symptoms. In rare cases, owing to vasculitis of the vasa vasorum of large arteries, necrosis of the vascular wall and t hus spurious aneurysms occur. The case of a 41-year-old patient is describe d who presented with a rupture of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm due to Behg et's disease. Therapy consisted of placement of an aorto-aortic Dacron prot hesis. On the basis of the case report, the diagnostic approach, the therap y and the value of secondary prophylaxis of Behget's disease are discussed.