Crohn's and Behçet's disease association presenting with superior vena cava thrombosis

A 21-year-old male patient with a 6-year history of Crohn's disease presented with shoulder pain and edema in the neck and bilateral supraclavicular fossa. Color Doppler ultrasonography and computed tomography scan revealed bilateral thrombosis of the external jugular veins, brachiocephalic veins, and superior vena cava. Other etiologies were appropriately ruled out and the thrombosis was initially attributed to Crohn's disease. In the follow-up, the patient developed recurrent, painful orogenital ulcers and acne vulgaris-like skin eruptions. HLA tissue typing was HLA B-51. The diagnosis of Crohn's disease associated with Behçet's disease was made. Although there are several case reports describing such an association, a Medline research revealed that this was the first presentation of such an association with thrombosis. Thrombosis in unusual sites may reflect the uncommon association of Crohn's disease with hypercoagulable conditions such as Behçet's disease.