Chronic Budd–Chiari syndrome in Behçet's disease successfully managed with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: a case report and literature review

Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS) is characterized by an obstruction of hepatic venous outflow from small hepatic veins to inferior vena cava, caused by acute thrombosis or its fibrous sequellae. An underlying myeloproliferative neoplasm is present in 50% of cases. Clinical manifestations are widely variable, from asymptomatic to fulminant episodes. Long-term complications range from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma. Behçet’s disease (BD) is a rare recurrent inflammatory multisystemic disorder characterized by recurrent skin-mucosa lesions and systemic involvement. Vascular involvement is observed in up to 40% of the patients with BD, and it is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity. BCS is a rare complication of BD with a frequency of < 5% among patients with vascular involvement. Immunosuppressive treatment is the cornerstone for the management of vascular involvement in BD, while anticoagulant therapy has been an issue of debate. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in severe cases of BCS—of all causes— improves survival. However, there is scarce evidence about the role of TIPS in the setting of BCS in BD. We present a case of a vascular Behçet’s disease associated with chronic Budd–Chiari syndrome with progression of thrombosis despite adequate anticoagulant and immunosuppressive treatment, successfully managed with TIPS.