Issue |
SICOT-J
Volume 1, 2015
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | 12 | |
Number of page(s) | 4 | |
Section | Spine | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/sicotj/2015010 | |
Published online | 15 June 2015 |
Case Report
Late-onset superior mesenteric artery syndrome four years following scoliosis surgery – a case report
1
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Assiut University Hospital, Assiut
71526, Egypt
2
Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia
PA 19104, USA
* Corresponding author: dormans@email.chop.edu
Received:
26
March
2015
Accepted:
29
April
2015
Background: Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome has been reported as an uncommon condition of external vascular compression of the SMA particularly after rapid weight loss, body casts, or after corrective surgery for spinal deformities, usually within the first few weeks after surgery.
Methods: This is a retrospective report of a case of a non-verbal autistic female patient who started to develop SMA syndrome at the age of 16, 4 years after posterior spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. She was treated conservatively by increasing oral caloric intake, which resulted in increased body weight and relief of symptoms.
Results: Seen at 10 years’ follow up, the patient is doing well, and is functional within the limits of her suboptimal cognitive and verbal conditions. She maintains good trunk balance with solid spinal fusion and intact instrumentation at latest follow up.
Conclusion: Spinal surgeons should maintain a high index of suspicion for diagnosis of SMA syndrome even years after scoliosis surgery, especially for patients with communication problems, like the case we present here. Appropriate conservative measures can succeed in relieving the symptoms, increasing body weight, and preventing complications including the risk of death.
Key words: Superior Mesenteric Artery / SMA Syndrome / Scoliosis / Spinal fusion
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2015
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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