May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Digestive Disorders Aorto-mesenteric clamp – a rare cause of abdominal pain and obstruction
Aorto-mesenteric clamp – a rare cause of abdominal pain and obstruction |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: Hello. I have seen a gastroenterologist after having serious pain in my upper abdomen and nausea. After an endoscopy the diagnostic was aortomesenteric clamp (as he explained, that my duodenum is strangled by the blood vessel). He gave me a 2 weeks treatment of Sufalcrat, Metroclopramid and Duspatalin after which I was able to eat again. I still have gas and bloating almost daily. The doctor told me that I can eat anything I want but moderately, without excesses. And that I have to live with this condition, as it is not really serious and just have the medicine available to go again through the treatment when needed. I was wondering, can this be surgically repaired? I know the doctor said it is not serious, but when you can eat only noodles soup for 3 months and loose 10% of the body weight, I assure you that it looks really serious to me. Or if not surgery, what else can keep the symptoms from coming back? I didn't find too much on the internet about this condition. Thank you very much for any advice you can give me. Dear Cami: The compression of the third portion of the duodenum by the superior mesenteric artery SMA (aorto-mesenteric clamp) is a rare cause of abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction. It is defined formally as trapping of the third portion of the duodenum between the SMA and aorta secondary to a narrowing of the angle between the two vessels, usually due to loss of the intervening mesenteric fat pad. The clinical appearance may range between an asymptomatic patient, an incidental radiological finding, and an acute duodenal obstruction (superior mesenteric artery syndrome). It is possible to have surgical intervention, but symptoms do not always improve following surgical correction. There has been controversy surrounding the diagnosis of SMA syndrome since symptoms do not always correlate well with radiologic findings, and the diagnosis may be confused with other anatomic or motility-related causes of abdominal pain. I advise discussing surgical intervention with your gastrointestinal surgeon. |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 28 March 2010 ) |
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