[Multiple aortic and femoral aneurysms: Unusual revelation of Behçet's disease]

Arterial involvement in Behçet's disease is rare, the aortic localization is one of the most severe manifestations of the disease. We present an exceptional case of Behçet's disease revealed by two infrarenal abdominal aorta aneurysms, associated to a femoral artery pseudoaneurysm. The management of aneurysms in Behçet's disease is delicate, and requires the combination of surgical treatment with adjuvant medical drug therapy in order to reduce complications risk.

[Opportunistic screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm during echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease: Utility or futility?]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a chronic degenerative disease that is usually silent until rupture occurs and this complication is still associated in contemporary era with a high rate of mortality. Screening programmes for abdominal aortic aneurysm have been shown to be effective in reducing global mortality in the screened population but these programmes are poorly implemented in the Western countries. As coronary artery disease and abdominal aorta aneurysmal disease share many risk factors, the cardiologist is centrally positioned in the screening strategy, not only to identify patients with higher risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm, but also to perform an opportunistic screening during echocardiography. This paper summarises evidence about the feasibility, indications, modalities, benefits and risks related to the opportunistic screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm during echocardiography with a particular emphasis on the population of patients with coronary artery disease.

Open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms in Behçet's disease

BACKGROUND

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystem chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that involves multiple organs. Arterial involvement in BD is rare. Aortic involvement is one of the most severe manifestations and is associated with a much higher mortality. In this article, we will present our experience in open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm combined with immunosuppressive therapy.

METHODS

Between January 2010 and December 2017, 7 patients were treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms (5 infra-renal and 2 supra-renal, in 1 woman and 6 men). All patients were Moroccan, the age range being 25-59 years, mean age 43.2 years. Three Dacron tube grafts, two Dacron aortobiiliac grafts and two patch closures were used. All 7 patients received immunosuppresive therapy after surgery.

RESULTS

All patients underwent successful open surgical repair without major complications during the 30 days immediately after the procedure. During a mean follow-up of 36 months, there was no recurrent aneurysmal localization, but one patient had lost their sight. Until now, we have been following 6 patients and they continue to receive immunosuppressive therapy.

CONCLUSION

Long-term immunosuppressive therapy after aneurysm repair is important to limit pseudoaneurysm recurrence. Through our serie, we describe the results of the combination of surgical treatment and adjunctive immunosuppressive therapy, with a literature review.

[Ultrasound screening of abdominal aortic aneurysm: Lessons from Vesale 2013]

Although aneurysm of the abdominal infra-renal aorta (AAA) meets criteria warranting B mode ultrasound screening, the advantages of mass screening versus selective targeted opportunistic screening remain a subject of debate. In France, the French Society of Vascular Medicine (SFMV) and the Health Authority (HAS) published recommendations for targeted opportunistic screening in 2006 and 2013 respectively. The SFMV held a mainstream communication day on November 21, 2013 in France involving participants from metropolitan France and overseas departments that led to a proposal for free AAA ultrasound screening: the Vesalius operation. Being a consumer operation, the selection criteria were limited to age (men and women between 60 and 75 years); the age limit was lowered to 50 years in case of direct family history of AAA. More than 7000 people (as many women as men) were screened in 83 centers with a 1.70% prevalence of AAA in the age-based target population (3.12% for men, 0.27% for women). The median diameter of detected AAA was 33 mm (range 20 to 74 mm). The prevalence of AAA was 1.7% in this population. Vesalius data are consistent with those of the literature both in terms of prevalence and for cardiovascular risk factors with the important role of smoking. Lessons from Vesalius to take into consideration are: screening is warranted in men 60 years and over, especially smokers, and in female smokers. Screening beyond 75 years should be discussed. Given the importance of screening, the SFMV set up a year of national screening for AAA (Vesalius operation 2014/2015) in order to increase public and physician awareness about AAA detection, therapeutic management, and monitoring. AAA is a serious, common, disease that kills 6000 people each year. The goal of screening is cost-effective reduction in the death toll.