Jehad Khamaysa/LinkedIn

Sep 11, 2026, 16:47

Jehad Khamaysa: Budd-Chiari Syndrome as the Initial Presentation of Behçet’s Disease in a 16-Year-Old

Jehad Khamaysa, Head of Radiology Department at Turkish Governmental Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Did you know Behçet’s disease can first appear as a life-threatening liver condition, years before its classic signs show up?

We published a case of a 16-year-old girl who presented with fatigue and bone pain that progressed to abdominal distension and hepatosplenomegaly.

Imaging confirmed Budd-Chiari syndrome – hepatic vein obstruction – as the first manifestation of Behçet’s disease.

Genetic testing added a second layer of risk: a Factor V Leiden mutation alongside the HLA-B51 allele associated with BD.

Vascular involvement can be Behçet’s disease’s presenting feature, not a late complication – especially in adolescents with unexplained hepatosplenomegaly.
Inherited thrombophilia and BD’s own prothrombotic tendency compound each other, raising clot risk significantly.
Early imaging plus genetic workup drove management: aggressive anticoagulation led to partial recanalization and clinical stabilization.

Published in 2025, co-authored with colleagues from Palestine.

Have you seen atypical vascular presentations of Behçet’s disease in your practice?”