Abdominal aortic aneurysm with lumbar vertebral erosion in Behçet's disease. A case report and review of the literature.

Although Behqet's disease (BD) has been known for 2000 years, it was named after the author who described it properly in 1937.1 Recurrent oral or genital aphtosis and uveitis are the main characteristics, but involvement of other organ systems frequently occurs: i.e. the joints, the gastrointestinal tract, the central nervous system and also the vascular system. A 57-year-old man with known BD was found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm together with a huge posterior pseudoaneurysm eroding the lumbar vertebrae. Although erosion of the lumbar vertebrae due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm has been reported, 2 the association with Beh~et's disease is unique. Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this unusual association are discussed, and a review of the literature presented.