Rai Ravi Ranjan, Shah Siddharth, Palliyil Nigil S, Dalvie Samir, Shah Rasik
Department of Orthopaedics, P D Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
Department of Paediatric Surgery, P D Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
JBJS Case Connect. 2019 Dec;9(4):e0497. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.18.00497.
A 13-year-old female presenting with untreated congenital scoliosis underwent single-stage anterior plus posterior deformity correction surgery. On the sixth postoperative day, she started vomiting and complained of abdominal pain. Imaging studies suggested superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS). Conservative treatment for 3 weeks yielded no improvement in symptoms. She subsequently underwent laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy, which resolved her symptoms.
SMAS, although rare, is a morbid complication of deformity correction surgery. Medical management is the treatment of choice, with surgery reserved for nonresponders. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate intervention can provide effective treatment, thus preventing catastrophic consequences.
