[Superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Report of 2 clinical cases]

The authors describe two cases of the superior mesenteric artery syndrome. The diagnosis was made by radiology and both were treated surgically. They emphasize the most relevant symptoms (epigastric pain and vomiting) and the characteristic radiological signs which permit the diagnosis (marked to-and-fro peristalsis in the duodenum with extrinsic compression of the third part and proximal dilatation ending abruptly). Although the conservative measures are sufficient in most cases, those presented in this paper, both needed surgery.