Giant cell arteritis manifesting as mesenteric ischemia.
We report a case of giant cell arteritis in an 80-year-old woman who presented with chronic mesenteric ischemia to our vascular surgery service. Computed tomography, arteriography, and magnetic resonance angiography revealed long, smooth stenosis of the superior mesenteric artery and focal stenosis of the celiac artery. After the patient was found to have an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and a positive temporal artery biopsy specimen, glucocorticoid therapy was initiated. Giant cell arteritis is a rare and easily overlooked cause of vascular insufficiency that can result in a devastating clinical outcome if not recognized before surgical therapy or other interventions are attempted.
Evans
David Clay
DC
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Murphy
Michael P
MP
Lawson
Jeffrey H
JH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000792:Angiography; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008643:Mesentery / Q000098:blood supply*; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed