title: A patient presenting with stress-induced epigastric pain.
abstract: The median arcuate ligament passes the truncus coeliacus superior to its ostium. If it is thickened and located too low, it can cause external compression and stenosis of the truncus coeliacus, leading to postprandial abdominal pain and vomiting. This combination of symptoms is called median arcuate ligament syndrome. We report the case of a 79-year-old patient who suffered from chronic epigastric pain, which was initially assumed to be caused by either coronary artery disease or atherosclerotic stenosis of the coeliac artery. Angiography excluded coronary artery disease, but showed severe external stenosis of the truncus. The patient underwent laparoscopic release of the median arcuate ligament, which resulted in relief of his symptoms. The median arcuate ligament syndrome should be considered in patients with epigastric stress-induced pain. Further underlying pathologies, especially coronary artery disease, as life-threatening diagnosis have to be initially excluded.
authors: Abteilung für Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen, Universitätsklinik Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Duckheim
authors: Abteilung für Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen, Universitätsklinik Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Geisler
authors: Abteilung für Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen, Universitätsklinik Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Christine Stefanie
authors: CS
authors: Zuern
authors: Abteilung für Kardiologie und Kreislauferkrankungen, Universitätsklinik Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Meinrad
authors: M
authors: Gawaz
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008022:Ligaments / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D000074742:Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler