Behçet's disease combined with various types of fistula

Efficacy of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Therapy Against Intestinal Behçet’s Disease Complicated by Recurrent Enterocutaneous Fistulae

A 55-year-old man presented with recurrent ulcers and an enterocutaneous fistula at the anastomotic site after surgery for an ileovesical fistula and was diagnosed with intestinal Behçet’s disease after undergoing surgery for enterocutaneous fistulae twice. The patient was transferred to our hospital because of recurrent enterocutaneous fistulae. He had a history of recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, folliculitis, and epididymitis and met the diagnostic/classification criteria for incomplete Behçet’s disease and thus was diagnosed as having intestinal Behçet’s disease. Remission induction therapy with steroids was administered for an ileal ulcer and an enterocutaneous fistula, and adalimumab was initiated for maintenance therapy. The fistula was closed, and the clinical course was favorable. Two months after initiating adalimumab, a subcutaneous abscess was detected at the site of the enterocutaneous fistula scar, and relapse of intestinal Behçet’s disease was suspected. Steroids were re-administered for remission induction, followed by maintenance therapy, for which adalimumab was switched to infliximab. No relapse was detected after steroid withdrawal. No therapeutic strategies have been established for intestinal Behçet’s disease. Moreover, there have been very few reports on therapeutic strategies and postoperative maintenance therapy for enterocutaneous fistulae. We thus consider this case valuable.

Clinical course of abdominal aortic aneurysms in Behçet disease: a retrospective analysis

Arterial aneurysms are rare manifestations of Behçet Disease (BD) with high morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course of BD patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). We retrospectively searched charts of BD patients, followed up between 1988 and 2011, to identify those with AAA with at least 6-month clinical and radiological follow-up data. Chart review revealed 12 patients (11 males) with AAA amongst 1224 patients; follow-up data from 11 patients were available. The most common symptoms were lower back and abdominal pain. The only pre-treatment complication was a spontaneous rupture. All but one patient received corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide pulses for the induction, and corticosteroid and azathioprine for the maintenance treatment; one patient received only the maintenance treatment. Two patients had surgical graft interposition, without postoperative complications. Seven patients had endovascular stenting; five of them (71.4%) showed radiological regression after 32.5 (13.4-53.8) months, while four (57%) had clinical improvement after 11.8 (0.2-29.4) months. However, one non-responsive patient developed stent infection and exsanguinated during percutaneous drainage, and one patient developed femoral artery pseudo-aneurysm at the catheter insertion site. Another patient developed a new aneurysm under the maintenance treatment. Medical treatment alone yielded radiological regression in one of two patients. Current immunosuppressive, surgical or endovascular approaches can provide clinical and radiological improvements lately in BD patients with AAA. Furthermore, complication rates seem to be high with interventional approaches. These findings suggest an unmet need for safer alternative treatments.

Aorto-atrial fistula formation and therapy

Aorta-atrial fistulas (AAF) are a rare but complex pathological condition. These fistulas are characterised by aberrant blood flow between the aorta and either atrium. In the present manuscript, we present a comprehensive overview of the clinical characteristics, formation and treatment of this condition. A literature review was conducted using PubMed. Aorta-Atrial Fistula was used as the primary search term. The clinical presentation of AAF encompasses a wide range of signs and symptoms of heart failure including dyspnoea, chest pain, palpitations, fatigue, weakness coughing or oedema. Causes of fistulas can be congenital or acquired, whilst diagnosis is normally achieved via echocardiography or MRI. Due to the low incidence of AAF, no clinical trials have been performed in AAF patients and treatment strategies are based on expert opinion and consensus amongst the treating physicians. Uncorrected AAF may continue to impose a risk of progression to overt heart failure. The repair of an AAF can either be surgical or percutaneous. AAF is a relatively rare but very serious condition. Clinicians should consider the possibility of AAF, when a new continuous cardiac murmur occurs, especially in patients with a history of cardiac surgery or with signs of heart failure. Closure of the AAF fistula tract is generally recommended. Further studies are required to define optimal therapeutic strategies, but these are hindered by the rarity of the occurrence of this disorder.

Successful Laparoscopic Treatment for Refractory Rectovaginal Fistula of Behçet's Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Rectovaginal fistula caused by Behçet's disease is extremely rare, and the clinical course is very unfavorable. We describe rectovaginal fistula of Behçet's disease with successful laparoscopic treatment and review the literature. A 30-year-old woman with Behçet's disease was diagnosed with rectovaginal fistula and treated medically after fecal diversion colostomy. However, the fistula remained, and she underwent radical surgery. Laparoscopically, after mobilization of the rectum, the fistula was removed. The rectum was transected on the anal side of the fistula and removed after extraction through the vaginal incision. The vaginal incision was repaired by suturing, and rectal anastomosis was performed using a double-stapling technique. The omentum was fixed between the rectum and vagina, and the operation was completed. Six months after the laparoscopic surgery, no evidence of fistula recurrence has been seen on colonoscopy. We have reported a rare case of rectovaginal fistula of Behçet's disease treated with an altogether new surgical approach that might prove effective for refractory rectovaginal fistula.

European Society of Coloproctology consensus on the surgical management of intestinal failure in adults

Intestinal failure (IF) is a debilitating condition of inadequate nutrition due to an anatomical and/or physiological deficit of the intestine. Surgical management of patients with acute and chronic IF requires expertise to deal with technical challenges and make correct decisions. Dedicated IF units have expertise in patient selection, operative risk assessment and multidisciplinary support such as nutritional input and interventional radiology, which dramatically improve the morbidity and mortality of this complex condition and can beneficially affect the continuing dependence on parenteral nutritional support. Currently there is little guidance to bridge the gap between general surgeons and specialist IF surgeons. Fifteen European experts took part in a consensus process to develop guidance to support surgeons in the management of patients with IF. Based on a systematic literature review, statements were prepared for a modified Delphi process. The evidence for each statement was graded using Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence. The current paper contains the statements reflecting the position and practice of leading European experts in IF encompassing the general definition of IF surgery and organization of an IF unit, strategies to prevent IF, management of acute IF, management of wound, fistula and stoma, rehabilitation, intestinal and abdominal reconstruction, criteria for referral to a specialist unit and intestinal transplantation.

An extremely rare manifestation of Behcet's disease: urethrovaginal fistula

Behcet's disease (BD) is a rare chronic, relapsing, multisystemic disorder characterized by mucocutaneous, ocular, vascular and central nervous system manifestations. However, the etiopathogenesis of the disease remains unknown, and diagnosis is basically dependent on clinical manifestations. Sometimes BD may be diagnosed with rare clinical entities. Herein, we presented an extremely rare case of urethrovaginal fistula which has been diagnosed as manifestation of BD. After surgical treatment of fistula, there was no complication in 6 months following surgical repair and the follow-up period has been going on.

Rectovaginal fistula

Despite the prevalence and severe implications of rectovaginal fistula, there is no universally accepted evidence-based approach to surgical management. This article offers a disease-based review of traditional management strategies and highlights the variety of technical approaches that are currently effective for the eradication of this socially disabling condition.

Acute myocardial infarction due to an unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm in a patient with Behçet's syndrome

This report describes the case of a 45-year-old Korean female who had suffered from Behçet's syndrome for two years with a huge, unruptured aneurysm originating from the left coronary sinus. The aneurysm had caused myocardial and aortic insufficiency by compressing the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The orifice of the aneurysm was at the left coronary sinus, about 5 mm from the left main coronary ostium, and it was filled with organized thrombi. Surgical repair was performed by closing the entrance of the aneurysm with a Dacron patch and by implementing aortic valve repair and coronary artery bypass grafting. The patient's coronary flow was restored postoperatively, and all anginal symptoms disappeared.