A RARE CASE OF MEDIAN ARCUATE LIGAMENT SYNDROME - A CASE REPORT

Dr. Akansha Singh, Dr. Abhinav Kumar, Dr. Cliffin Mathai Kattoor* and Dr. Utkarsh Bhardwaj

ABSTRACT

Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) is a disease entity with unclear pathogenesis. This syndrome is also known by other names – Celiac axis syndrome, Celiac artery compression, Dunbar syndrome. It is a rare condition caused by the compression of the celiac trunk by the median arcuate ligament, which may trigger a typical symptom triad: postprandial abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea and vomiting. However, the clinical diagnosis of the disease is very difficult because patients complain of digestive discomfort including pain which is not specific to this syndrome. Coeliac axis syndrome is considered a diagnosis of exclusion. We present the case of a 23-year- old male with median arcuate ligament syndrome that caused abdominal pain associated with nausea, emesis, and bloating.

Keywords: Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS), Celiac artery compression, postprandial abdominal pain.