Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome 417

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) mostly occurs in adolescent or young adults and is a rare disorder. The syndrome was first described by the Von Rokitansky in 1842 and since then about 400 cases has been reported in literature but SMAS is not well recognised and often diagnosed late till the patients are far advanced with their symptoms (Geer 1990, Raissi et al1996). In general population the incidence with the help of upper gastrointestinal barium studies were reported to be around 0.013-0.3 %(Ylinen et al 1989). However after the scoliosis surgery the prevalence was reported to be in range of 0.5-4.7 %( Tsirikos, Jeans 2005). Geer (1990) reported that 75% of the cases occurred in patients aged between 10-30 years. In a large series of 75 patients it was reported that two third of the cases were women and one third men and the average age was around 40 years (Wilkie 1927). The morbidity caused by this syndrome and the difficulty in diagnosing it prompted this review, and at the same time it will also act as a fresh reminder for the clinicians.