[Intermittent vomiting in a patient with superior mesenteric artery syndrome]

A 51-year-old woman presented with nausea, vomiting and weight loss. The diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery syndrome was established by CT and upper-gastrointestinal contrast radiography. This revealed a characteristic dilatation of the first and second parts of the duodenum and an abrupt cutoff in the third part due to vascular compression. The obstruction disappeared when the patient was placed in the left lateral recumbent position. The thin habitus of this patient probably played an important role in the development of the syndrome. She was given dietary and positioning advice and within 4 months relief of symptoms was accompanied by a weight gain of 4 kg.