Behçet's disease and late progressive myelopathy in a patient with severe kyphotic deformity following childhood spinal trauma: is there any connection?

Abstract

A highly unusual case is presented of a patient affected by Behçet's disease and severe kyphosis in the thoracic spine, who had a history of traumatic spinal cord injury during childhood. A review of the literature is also presented. Magnetic resonance imaging showed spinal cord compression at the level of the apex of the kyphosis in the upper thoracic spine. Although there is no information indicating that the coexistence of post-traumatic spinal deformity with Behçet's disease is not just a coincidental finding, the possibility that it was the presence of Behçet's disease concomitant with the antecedent spinal trauma that may have triggered the severe kyphotic deformity cannot be ruled out.