Median arcuate ligament syndrome presenting as hemorrhagic shock

Am J Emerg Med. 2013 Jul;31(7):1152.e1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2013.02.030. Epub 2013 May 18.

Abstract

The major symptoms of median arcuate ligament syndrome, celiac axis stenosis, or occlusion compressed by the median arcuate ligament include eating-associated abdominal pain and weight loss. Because celiac stenosis increases retrograde collateral blood flow from the superior mesenteric artery to the celiac artery via the pancreaticoduodenal arcade, a pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm could occur at a low incidence rate. Rupture of the pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm and hemorrhagic shock are rare. In this report, we present 3 cases of patients who had been well with no abdominal symptoms until the day of admission, when they experienced sudden-onset intra-abdominal hemorrhage and shock. These 3 patients were admitted to the emergency department, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography and radiographic selective catheter angiography revealed intra-abdominal hemorrhage, stenosis of the celiac arteries, and dilated pancreaticoduodenal arcade. Case 1 demonstrated severe hemorrhagic shock, whereas case 2 demonstrated moderate shock. We treated ruptured pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms with coil embolization. Case 3 demonstrated complete celiac occlusion and moderate hemorrhagic shock, and no aneurysm was detected.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aneurysm, Ruptured / diagnostic imaging
  • Aneurysm, Ruptured / etiology
  • Celiac Artery / abnormalities
  • Celiac Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Constriction, Pathologic / complications
  • Constriction, Pathologic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome
  • Middle Aged
  • Shock, Hemorrhagic / etiology*
  • Syndrome
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*