Superior Vena Cava Syndrome as a Primary Manifestation of Behçet's Disease

Abstract

Superficial thrombophlebitis is a common finding in Behçet's disease. However, the potential life-threatening complication of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome due to thrombotic occlusion is a rare manifestation and usually occurs several years after the onset of the diagnosis. The authors describe a twenty-nine-year-old Arab man who had an acute thrombosis of the SVC as the presenting manifestation of his Behçet' s disease. The patient was successfully treated with thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy, and during follow-up no relapse was observed. Behçet's disease should be suspected in young patients presenting with thrombosis of the SVC and without evidence of a hypercoagu lable state.