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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. May 26, 2023; 11(15): 3369-3384
Published online May 26, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i15.3369
Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: Diagnosis and management
Akihiko Oka, Muyiwa Awoniyi, Nobuaki Hasegawa, Yuri Yoshida, Hiroshi Tobita, Norihisa Ishimura, Shunji Ishihara
Akihiko Oka, Nobuaki Hasegawa, Norihisa Ishimura, Shunji Ishihara, Department of Internal Medicine II, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Shimane, Japan
Muyiwa Awoniyi, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Hepatology Section, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, United States
Yuri Yoshida, Clinical Laboratory Division, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo 693-8501, Shimane, Japan
Hiroshi Tobita, Division of Hepatology, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo 693-8501, Shimane, Japan
Author contributions: All the authors solely contributed to this paper; Oka A, Awoniyi M, Hasegawa N, and Yoshida Y drafted the manuscript; Tobita H, Ishimura N, and Ishihara S are the supervisors of study.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflict-of-interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Akihiko Oka, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine II, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, 89-1, Izumo 693-8501, Shimane, Japan. aoka@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Received: December 29, 2022
Peer-review started: December 29, 2022
First decision: February 2, 2023
Revised: February 13, 2023
Accepted: April 18, 2023
Article in press: April 18, 2023
Published online: May 26, 2023
Processing time: 147 Days and 6 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: To summarize, superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a rare condition that occurs when the superior mesenteric artery compresses the third part of the duodenum. This compression can cause obstructive symptoms and weight loss. SMAS can be caused by a variety of factors, including abnormal anatomy, rapid weight loss, and previous abdominal surgery. It is most commonly seen in young, thin females, but can occur in males and people of any age or body type. Treatment may involve dietary modifications, medications, and surgery to correct the underlying cause. If left untreated, SMAS can lead to serious complications, including malnutrition and intestinal damage.