Unilateral Internal Jugular Vein Thrombosis Revealing Behçet's Disease: Through the Eyes of the Ophthalmologist.

Abstract

Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare autoimmune disease with an unknown aetiology. It is mostly found in the ancient "silk route" (from the Mediterranean region to the Far East). BD is a vasculitis that can involve veins and arteries of all sizes. Clinical features are dominated by oral and genital aphthous ulcers and uveitis. Central nervous system manifestations include parenchymal (80%) and non-parenchymal involvement (20%). Non-parenchymal forms can include cerebral venous thrombosis. Treatment is based on anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and anticoagulant agents, but it remains controversial. We report a rare case of a unilateral jugular being thrombosis revealing BD in a young Moroccan male. He was admitted due to neuro-ophthalmological manifestations (diplopia, and bilateral papilloedema). A good outcome occurred after treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-coagulation.