Intestinal Perforations in Behçet’s Disease

Behçet’s disease accompanied by intestinal involvement is called intestinal Behçet’s disease. The intestinal ulcers of Behçet’s disease are usually multiple and scattered and tend to perforate easily, so that many patients require emergency operation. The aim of this study is to determine the extent of surgical resection necessary to prevent reperforation and to point out the findings of concurrent oral and genital ulcers and multiple intestinal perforations in all patients of our series. During a 25-year study period, information of 125 Behçet’s disease cases was gathered. Among the 82 patients who were diagnosed with intestinal Behçet’s disease, 22 cases had intestinal perforations needing emergency laparotomy. We investigated and analyzed these cases according to the patients’ demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, laboratory data, and surgical outcome. There were 14 men and 8 women ranging from 22 to 65 years of age. Nine cases were diagnosed preoperatively, and the diagnoses were confirmed in all 22 cases during the surgical intervention. Surgical resection was performed in every patient, with right hemicolectomy and ileocecal resection in 11 cases, partial ileum resection in 8 cases with two reperforations, and ileocecal resection in 3 cases with one reperforation

History and development of Behcet's disease

I have tried to outline the history and development of Behcet's disease, which was first described in 1937 by Hulusi Behcet, a Turkish Professor of Dermatology. The clinical picture is a triple symptom complex consisting of relapsing aphthous ulcers in the mouth and over the genitalia, and hypopion iritis. I have divided the developmental history of Behcet's disease into three periods: pre-Behcet, Behcet, and post-Behcet. Although similar clinical manifestations were mentioned in Hippocratic writings, clear examples of the symptomatic triad were not reported until the first quarter of this century. Since 1937, Behcet's disease has been a focus of active research. Exciting results concerning the genetics, immunology, molecular biology, diagnosis, and treatment of Behcet's disease have been obtained. It is hoped that the near future will bring additional discoveries to help solving difficulties in Behcet's disease