Intra-abdominal hemorrhage caused by segmental arterial mediolysis of the inferior mesenteric artery: report of a case.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports a patient with acute intra-abdominal hemorrhage secondary to a rare vascular disease, segmental arterial mediolysis


METHODS
The patient was a 56-year-old female who presented with severe acute abdominal pain. An abdominal and pelvic computed tomogram demonstrated suggestion of an intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Visceral angiography illustrated aneurysms in the branches of the inferior mesenteric artery. The patient underwent a left hemicolectomy with resection of the diseased artery.


RESULTS
The angiographic and histologic findings were consistent with a diagnosis of segmental arterial mediolysis involving only the inferior mesenteric artery.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first known reported case of intra-abdominal hemorrhage related to segmental arterial mediolysis requiring emergent hemicolectomy.
Rengstorff
Daniel S
DS
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94115, USA.
Baker
Edward L
EL
Wack
Jon
J
Yee
Laurence F
LF
D000005:Abdomen / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D017537:Mesenteric Artery, Inferior / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy