A Case of Behcet's Disease with Esophageal and Ileocecal Valve Ulcers / 대한소화기내시경학회지

ABSTRACT

Behcet's disease is a multisystemic, chronic inflammatory disease with a triad of symptoms including oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and inflammatory ocular lesions. While intestinal Behcet's disease commonly affects the ileocecal region, esophageal ulceration with odynophagia is very uncommon. A 38-year-old male patient was admitted due to odynophagia, a postprandial epigastric burning sensation, and right lower quadrant abdominal pain. He had a history of recurrent oral and genital ulcerations. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed relatively well demarcated ulcerative lesions with mucosal nodularities on the mid to distal esophagus which was suspected to be esophageal cancer. But repeated biopsies showed lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltrations on the lamina propria. A colonoscopy revealed a well demarcated, deep ulcerative lesion with stenotic narrowing in the ileocecal valve. The diagnosis of intestinal Behcet's disease with an esophageal ulcer was made on the basis of clinical and pathological findings. The patient was treated with steroids and sulfasalazine and the response was favorable.