OBJECTIVETo summarize operational effect with surgical treatment of aortic regurgitation caused by Behcet's disease and discuss relevant surgical techniques for treatment of these conditions.

METHODSEight patients with aortic regurgitation secondary to Behcet's disease and received surgery between April 1997 and August 2003 were retrospetively analyzed. Among them, two patients had their aortic valves replaced in other hospital before admitted to our hospital where one undertook aortic valve replacement (AVR), and the other undertook aortic root replacement (ARR). In six patients who were initially treated in our hospital, the surgical procedures for aortic regurgitation included AVR in three patients and ARR operation in other three patients in whom Bentall-type operation was conducted in two patients and Cabrol-type operation in one.

RESULTSOne patient died during hospital stay. The follow-up periods ranged from 3 months to 36 months. In five patients with prosthetic valve detachment or suture detachment, redo homograft replacement was required in one patient and redo AVR in 3, one patient had redo AVR twice, and the remaining one patient had no surgery at present. Three patients primarily operated by ARR operation have no complications.

CONCLUSIONSThe rate of prosthetic valve detachment is high in patients with Behcet's disease. ARR should be a first-line therapy for operation promised these patients.