Surgical management of giant superior mesenteric artery aneurysm

The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is an uncommon location of aneurysm formation. This entity is potentially lethal and should be treated once a diagnosis is made. When the aneurysm reaches a large size, there is a high risk of rupture and surgical treatment should not be delayed, although it can be technically demanding because there is a significant portion of bowel at risk for ischemia. Here, we describe our approach for the management of a giant SMA aneurysm.