[Aortic rupture in Behçet's disease].

Behçet's disease is a vasculitis of unknown aetiology, which becomes apparent by ocular and mucocutaneous symptoms. In rare cases, owing to vasculitis of the vasa vasorum of large arteries, necrosis of the vascular wall and thus spurious aneurysms occur. The case of a 41-year-old patient is described who presented with a rupture of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm due to Behçet's disease. Therapy consisted of placement of an aortic-aortic Dacron prosthesis. On the basis of the case report, the diagnostic approach, the therapy and the value of secondary prophylaxis of Behçet's disease are discussed.