Successful Endovascular Treatment of a Ruptured Popliteal Artery Aneurysm in a Patient with Behcet Disease

Abstract

Purpose: Arterial involvement of Behcet disease is often found in the form of a rapidly expanding aneurysm. We report a case of successful treatment of a ruptured popliteal artery aneurysm with a stent-graft insertion. Case report: A 55-year-old male patient was admitted because of pain and swelling in the right leg that had persisted for 15 days. Computed tomography (CT) angiography showed a contained rupture of a large right popliteal artery aneurysm. Laboratory tests showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein level. The patient had a history of recurrent oral and genital ulceration, folliculitis, and erythema nodosum. He was diagnosed as having Behcet disease with arterial involvement. After 5 days of immunosuppressant medications, the ESR decreased. A 7 mm x 10 cm stent graft was inserted into the right popliteal artery, and completion angiography showed the successfully excluded aneurysm. His symptoms were gradually relieved. The stent graft was patent on CT angiography 15 months after the procedure. He has been followed up for 16 months with dual antiplatelet agents and immunosuppressive medications. Conclusions: Endovascular therapy for peripheral aneurysms in patients with Behcet disease is safe and minimally invasive. Careful follow-up to monitor disease progression is necessary.