A case report of an isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection caused by childbirth

The isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection (SMAD) is a rare and sporadic cause of acute abdominal pain. It most frequently affects male patients in their fifth to sixth decades, while our patient was a young woman who delivered a baby before the onset of abdominal pain. Possible risk factors for SMAD include hypertension, arteriosclerosis, abnormalities in elastic fibres, trauma, and pregnancy. In our case, delivery was suggested as a risk factor, which has not been reported previously.

A 27-year-old woman complained of acute severe upper abdominal pain and vomiting for 2 days after delivery. The patient had no significant medical history. Physical examination revealed epigastric mild tenderness. All routine blood tests, blood coagulation analysis, liver function tests and abdomen computed tomography showed no remarkable findings. Computed tomography angiography revealed a marked dissection 3.5 cm below the superior mesenteric artery ostium. Since distal blood flow existed and the patient was in a puerperal state with no evidences of mesenteric ischemia, she was managed conservatively, including intestinal rest by fasting, parenteral nutritional support and antibioticis, without anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents. Fortunately, she recovered smoothly and had no recurrence.

SMAD is a rare and sporadic cause of acute abdominal pain that occurs in young women after delivery.