Often Overlooked Diagnosis: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome as a Mimicker of Crohn's Disease

Erica Becker; Turab Mohammed; John Wysocki

doi:10.14309/crj.0000000000000675

Often Overlooked Diagnosis: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome as a Mimicker of Crohn's Disease

ACG Case Rep J. 2021 Oct 26;8(10):e00675. doi: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000675. eCollection 2021 Oct.

Authors

Erica Becker¹, Turab Mohammed¹, John Wysocki²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT.
² Department of Gastroenterology, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.

Abstract

Median arcuate ligament syndrome occurs when the celiac artery and/or the celiac plexus nerves is compressed by the median arcuate ligament during expiration causing a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. Here, we present a case of median arcuate ligament syndrome in a persistently symptomatic 35-year-old man that presented as a mimicker of Crohn's disease. Symptomatology, computed tomography angiography, and abdominal ultrasound Doppler were consistent with celiac artery compression syndrome. After surgical decompression of the ligament and removal of the celiac ganglion, he reported a definitive relief of abdominal pain and resolution of symptoms.

Publication types

Case Reports