Vocal cord involvement and hoarseness in a patient with Behcets disease: A rare case report

RATIONALE: Behcets disease (BD) is a type of chronic systemic vasculitis that typically manifests as a mucocutaneous disease with orogenital ulcers, skin damage, and uveitis. The clinical diagnosis is often difficult because of the diversity of organs that may be involved and lack of specific pathological diagnosis. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 26-year-old woman presented as a nearly 2-week history of hoarseness with throat pain. DIAGNOSES: In the present case, Fiber laryngoscopy showed multiple ulcers involving the epiglottic tubercle, bilateral false vocal cord, middle area of the left vocal cord, and full length of the right vocal cord. Multidisciplinary physicians combined the patients clinical manifestations and pathological findings to make the Behcets disease diagnosis. INTERVENTIONS: As the diagnosis confirmed, immediately began appropriate medical therapy (prednisolone at 30 mg once per day and thalidomide at 50 mg once per night in a month). OUTCOMES: The ulcer on the right vocal cord disappeared but left a scar. Therefore, the patient experienced only partial recovery from the hoarseness. LESSONS: Behcets disease can cause damage to multiple organs. Although the combination of vocal cord ulcers and hoarseness is rare in patients with BD and has not been previously reported to date, such patients should be treated with caution in clinical practice.