Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome; A rare cause of duodenal obstruction: Report of two cases

Abstract

Aim

To report two cases of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS) with some abnormal anatomical findings.

Case Report

Two patients with bizarre abdominal symptoms indicating gastric outlet obstruction, which came out to be a rare case Superior mesenteric artery syndrome with some anatomical aberrations.

Result

With a clinical and radiologically confirmed diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS), both cases underwent uneventful recovery after definitive surgical treatment.

Conclusion

This rare diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS) is based mostly on clinical symptoms and radiologic evidence of duodenal obstruction by Barium studies and abdominal CT scan. Along with compression of third part of duodenum, altered relationship of superior mesenteric vein and artery with high up cecum and sub-hepatic location of appendix and mesenteric vascular abnormality sometimes do coexist, as we encountered in our cases. Presently, surgical treatment (either laparoscopic or open) is the only accepted way of managing SMAS.