Chronic dissection of the superior mesenteric artery: case report

Acute dissection of the thoracic aorta is a well-recognized, often fatal condition that frequently extends to involve the abdominal aorta and iliac vessels. The ostia of the renal and mesenteric vessels may be compromised, and the resulting visceral ischemia may necessitate surgical intervention. However, visceral perfusion may be restored if blood flow from true to false lumen is re-established or if the false lumen is obliterated, either spontaneously or by surgical or interventional techniques. Isolated dissections of mesenteric, renal, and carotid vessels are rarely reported. These may be spontaneous, related to high blood pressure and underlying disease of the vessel wall, or caused by abdominal trauma or medical intervention, including angiographic procedures. They are usually associated with pain and other signs and symptoms of ischemia in the appropriate territory. We present a case of chronic superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection, an incidental angiographic finding, in an asymptomatic patient being evaluated for resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). (author)