Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a rare and unusual disease, suspected clinically and confirmed radiologically. It represents a duodenal obstruction secondary to the impingement of the third portion of the duodenum between the abdominal aorta (AA) and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) due to decreased intraabdominal fat. High morbidity and mortality rates are linked to missed or late diagnosis that can lead to complications, such as gastric perforation and gastric hemorrhage. We present the case of a 33-year-old man who was not previously known to have a SMAS, who presented to the emergency department with signs of septic shock, complaining of fever and respiratory symptoms for several days. Investigations showed aspiration pneumonia secondary to an upper gastrointestinal obstruction with signs of SMAS on a computed tomography (CT) scanner. Acute and rapid deterioration led to cardiac arrest and death. Through this article, we highlight the importance of early and correct diagnosis of SMAS which can sometimes be challenging, since no number is strictly diagnostic and radiological images must be interpreted in light of the clinical history and physical examination.
Keyphrases
- computed tomography
- emergency department
- cardiac arrest
- septic shock
- image quality
- respiratory failure
- positron emission tomography
- ultrasound guided
- case report
- liver failure
- cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- contrast enhanced
- magnetic resonance imaging
- aortic valve
- mental health
- physical activity
- aortic dissection
- optical coherence tomography
- convolutional neural network
- pulmonary artery
- depressive symptoms
- magnetic resonance
- pulmonary hypertension
- sleep quality
- intensive care unit
- pulmonary arterial hypertension
- quantum dots
- pet ct
- acute respiratory distress syndrome