Superior mesenteric artery (Wilkie's) syndrome: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Of the three cases of superior mesenteric artery (Wilkie's) syndrome presented, one was associated with anorexia nervosa; this association has not been reported before. Two patients were treated surgically with a duodenojejunostomy, and one was treated medically. Vascular compression of the duodenum is a controversial subject. The syndrome probably is more common than generally recognized and is underdiagnosed due to its exclusion from the differential diagnosis of small-bowel obstruction. Its recognition is important because early diagnosis of a partial obstruction may allow for medical rather than surgical intervention, as exemplified by our third case.