Successful Surgical Treatment Combined With Infliximab in a Patient With Acute Aortic Regurgitation Caused by Behçet Disease

Abstract

Standard aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation caused by Behçet disease (BD) is frequently complicated by postoperative recurrent prosthetic valve detachment. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α is known to be associated with higher inflammation activities. Therefore, the concomitant use of immunomodulatory agents with TNFα inhibitors may be the key to a better outcome. This is a case report of a 46-year-old woman with severe acute aortic regurgitation due to BD. Immunosuppressive therapy including the TNFα inhibitor infliximab, which has not been reported for perioperative use to date, resulted in the prompt remission of inflammation, leading to the success of Bentall surgery.