Volume 71 Number 5 October 2004	back to contents

From the Departments of 1Cardiology and 2Internal Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey

Address all correspondence to Atila Iyisoy, M.D., Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Cardiology, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey; E-mail: aiyisoy@hotmail.com

Accepted for publication December 2003.

ABSTRACT
A 42-year-old woman with Behçet’s disease and pericardial effusion for 14 years presented with acute myocardial infarction and received thrombolytic therapy. Coronary angiography showed total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery. Subsequently, the left internal mammary artery was grafted to the left anterior descending artery. Approximately one year after bypass surgery, digital subtraction angiography of the left subclavian artery, performed because of chest and left arm pain, showed total occlusion of the left subclavian artery. Retrograde flow from the left vertebral artery filled the distal portion of the left subclavian artery.

In conclusion, patients with Behçet’s disease should be investigated closely for involvement of other arteries when one vessel's involvement has been detected. We also recommend that free arterial grafts be used for any coronary surgical intervention, because of the risk of occlusion associated with the vasculitis of Behçet’s disease

KEY WORDS
Behçet’s disease, myocardial infarction, vasculitis, subclavian artery occlusion.

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