Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome

33%.12-15 In the usual clinical setting its nonspecific presentations can result in under-diagnosis and severe outcomes.16,17 The recognition of SMA syndrome as a distinct clinical entity remains controversial because it can be confused with other anatomic or motility-related causes of duodenal obstruction.4,5,18 The left renal vein may also be entrapped and compressed between the aorta and the SMA, a clinical setting referred to as “nutcracker syndrome”.5 The symptoms of SMA syndrome do not always correlate well with abnormal anatomic findings on radiologic studies, and may not resolve completely after treatment.4,18,19 It was often regarded as a diagnostic dilemma and a diagnosis of exclusion. In this article we will review the pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of SMA syndrome.