[Surgical treatment of aortic valve regurgitation associated with Behçet's disease]

We experienced a patient of aortic valve regurgitation associated with Behçet's disease. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement. There are 15 cases of valvular heart disease associated with Behçet's disease including this reported case. Patients often have perivalvular leakage after valve replacement because not only the aortic but also the surrounding aortic walls become inflamed from the effects of Behçet's disease. We treated our patient to prevent complication. The aortic valve was fixed from the outside of a 2/3 round aortic wall using a teflon strip. The operation was performed when the inflammatory signs and findings subsided, and an adrenal steroid was used after the operation. Satisfactory results were obtained, but since Behçet's disease is systemic progressive and chronic disease, strict observation of the patients and systemic controls of inflammation should be recommended continuously.