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Case Reports
. 2009 May 27;3(2):156-161.
doi: 10.1159/000209866.

Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome

Efthimiou Matheos  1 , Kouritas Vasileios, Baloyiannis Ioannis, Zacharoulis Dimitrios, Hatzitheofilou Kostas
Affiliations
Case Reports

Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome

Efthimiou Matheos et al. Case Rep Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

A 63-year-old female presented to our department complaining of epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms started after a significant loss of weight and persisted despite treatment, leading to hospitalization for dehydration and renal failure due to protracted vomiting. During hospitalization, no pathology could be identified and the patient was discharged. Symptoms persisted and she was eventually readmitted. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome was diagnosed based upon clinical suspicion and barium studies. She was subjected to duodenojejunostomy after failure of conservative treatment. Her immediate postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was well during her two-year follow-up. Clinicians should be suspicious of superior mesenteric artery syndrome, albeit rare, and be aware of its treatment, which is either conservative or surgical.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Preoperative barium study. Note dilatation of the first and second parts of the duodenum and delay in transit of 4-6 h through the gastroduodenal region.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Duodenojejunostomy.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Postoperative barium study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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