J Korean Med Sci.  2001 Dec;16(6):814-816. 10.3346/jkms.2001.16.6.814.

Massive Thrombosis after Central Venous Catheterization in a Patient with Previously Undiagnosed Behcet's Disease

• Ko SH
• Kang SK
• Lee SK
• Song HS

• KMID: 648370
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2001.16.6.814

Abstract

Thrombosis is an important complication of central venous catheterization. Among the many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, the patient's medical disease can play a role in thrombogenesis. Behcet's disease (BD), classified as a vasculitis, is a multisystem disease involving the small blood vessels. It is often difficult to recognize and diagnose the disease. A 24-yr-old female patient showed massive central venous thrombosis which caused superior vena cava syndrome after subclavian vein catheterization. Twenty days after catheterization, the patient exhibited swelling of the face, neck, and both upper extremities. Despite thrombectomy and continuous anticoagulation therapy, her facial and upper extremity swelling reappeared and follow-up chest computed tomography (CT) showed the recurrent thrombosis in the same central veins previously affected. A diagnosis of BD was then made. Following steroid therapy, neither clinical symptoms nor CT findings suggestive of central venous thrombosis were observed during the subsequent 6-months of follow-up period. This case emphasizes that central venous catheterization in a patient with BD should be performed with great caution.

Keyword

Behcet's Syndrome; Catheterization, Central Venous; Superior Vena Cava Syndrome; Venous Thrombosis

MeSH Terms

Adult
Behcet's Syndrome/*complications
Case Report
Catheterization, Central Venous/*adverse effects
Female
Human
Phlebography
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome/diagnosis/*etiology
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Vena Cava, Superior