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Multimodality Diagnosis of Mesenteric Ischemia
Published on: July 21, 2023
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Spontaneous Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Dissection.
Anand Nath1, Sayali Yewale2, Mohammad Kousha3
1Department of Internal Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Case Reports in Gastroenterology
|February 17, 2017
Summary
Isolated spontaneous superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection is rare but increasingly recognized. Conservative management with anticoagulation can be a safe and effective first-line therapy for selected patients.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Isolated spontaneous superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection is an uncommon vascular condition.
- Advances in diagnostic imaging, such as computed tomography (CT), have improved recognition of this rare disease.
Observation:
- A 68-year-old female presented with acute upper abdominal pain.
- CT imaging revealed a dissection with thrombosis in the proximal SMA.
Findings:
- Conservative management, including bowel rest, blood pressure control, and anticoagulation, led to symptom resolution.
- Follow-up CT confirmed stable dissection, indicating the efficacy of the conservative approach.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider spontaneous SMA dissection in patients with unexplained abdominal pain.
- Conservative management with anticoagulation is a viable and safe initial treatment strategy for select patients with SMA dissection.
