Compression syndrome of the celiac trunk

Compression syndrome of the celiac trunk or Dunbar's syndrome is usually caused by an overly large medial arcuate ligament of the diaphragm. Symptoms are postprandial periumbilical pain, the pathogenesis of which, in spite of abundant collateralization of the celiac trunk, has not yet been clarified. The diagnosis should be established by elimination via lateral aortography. Therapy consists of incision of the ligament, creation of a aorto-celiac bypass, or reinsertion of the celiac trunk. Treatment, however, is successful in only 41% of the operated patients.     

Compression of the celiac trunk by the median arcuate ligament]

A relatively large series of 20 operated patients, aged 28 to 66 years, with median arcuate ligament syndrome is presented. There has been a change in the pattern of presentation of this condition in recent years. Early diagnosis can now be made with greater frequency than previously. The origin and the symptoms due to the intermittent, chronic abdominal ischaemia are discussed. The preliminary results suggest that surgical decompression is effective in inducing favourable changes in 60% of patients.     

Compression stenosis of the celiac trunk in children and adolescents

Operations for compression stenosis of the celiac trunk (CSCT) were made on 97 patients aged 5.5-18 years (56 women and 41 men). Three basic clinical syndromes were observed: pain abdominal, dyspeptic and neurovegetative. The appearance or intensification of abdominal pains observed in 71.3% of the patients were connected with meal, in 59.69% of them it was simultaneous with physical exercise. The diagnosis of OSCT was based mainly on findings of ultrasonic duplex scanning. The indications to decompression of the celiac trunk were: clinical manifestations of CSCT, the stenosis degree at the maximal expiration more than 50%, peak systolic velocity of the blood flow more than 2 m/s and a gradient of arterial pressure more than 15 mm Hg. The decompression of the celiac trunk consisted in the dissection of a median arcuate ligament of the diaphragm, its interior crura and celiac ganglion fibers. Convalescence and recovery was stated in 87 of 97 patients in the nearest and long-term follow-up.     

Extrinsic compression of the renal artery by diaphragmatic crus

Extrinsic compression of the renal artery due to a fibromuscular band originating from the diaphragm was encountered in a 26-year-old patient who had systemic hypertension associated with stenosis and kinking of one of her renal arteries. After surgical decompression, the renal artery assumed a normal expansion with disappearance of hypertension. Six other cases of extrinsic compression of the renal artery have been found in the literature. Surgical treatment is mandatory in all cases because the mechanism that causes the lesion makes percutaneous transluminal angioplasty illusory.     

左侧肾副动脉共干伴狭窄1例

<正>患者男,78岁,因"头晕、心悸,血压260mmHg/120mmHg"入院。临床诊断为高血压病3级极高危组。肾动脉超声:左肾动脉起始部管径变窄,其余段显示不清。肾动脉CTA(图1):左侧肾动脉近段局限性狭窄,未见明确斑块;左侧肾副动脉,可见2个分支,共同开口,共干长度约7mm,均起自腹主动脉,位于左肾动脉上方;较为粗大一支进入肾门,其近端可见混合斑块形成,管腔重度狭窄;较为细小一支进入左肾上极;右肾动脉未见明显异常。CTA诊断:左侧肾动脉近段局限性狭窄;左侧肾副动脉共干伴狭窄。     

Characteristics of anastomoses between the celiac trunk and the superior mesenteric artery

Duodenum and pancreas are two deep abdominal viscerae with multiple arterial sources and complex vascular relations, that impose peculiar surgical techniques. The dissection of 120 corpses and the examination of selective angiographies revealed the variants of the anastomoses between the superior pancreaticoduodenal arteries (that receive blood from the celiac trunk) and the inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries (belonging to the collateral subsystem of the superior mesenteric artery). The pancreaticoduodenal arches are the main anastomosis around the pancreatic head, and supply the duodeno-pancreatic complex. During this study I found the absence of this anastomosis of the antero-inferior duodenopancreatic arch 5 cases (4.16%), and the lack of anastomosis of the postero-superior duodenopancreatic arch in 11 cases (9.16%). In these situations, the superior and the inferior duodenopancreatic arteries give off the vasa recta and the pancreatic branches, as normally. I found different variants of accessory duodenopancreatic arches, and I analyzed their impact on the surgical techniques on duodenum and pancreas. This study pinpoints the importance of the anastomotic subsystem in the arterial supply of the duodeno-pancreatic complex, reveals the necessity of the preoperative angiographic exam in order to choose the most opportune surgical technique.     

Superior mesenteric artery branch aneurysm with absence of the celiac trunk

Superior mesenteric artery and pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysms are rare. Agenesis of the celiac axis has only been reported four times. The reported etiologies of superior mesenteric artery and branch artery aneurysms include infection, atherosclerosis, inflammatory processes such as pancreatitis, dissection, collagen vascular disorders, polyarteritis nodosa, and trauma. We report an aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) branch, the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery, arising in a patient with congenital absence of the celiac trunk. The patient presented with intermittent left upper quadrant pain without weight loss or change in bowel habits. The aneurysm was identified on abdominal computed tomography scan with angiographic confirmation of the aberrant anatomy. The patient was treated by aneurysmectomy and pancreaticoduodenal artery reconstruction with an interposition vein graft from the SMA. The patient recovered without complications and is asymptomatic with a patent vein graft 2 years after operation.     

Arterial reperfusion in human orthotopic liver transplantation by anastomosis of the celiac trunk to the right or left hepatic artery of the recipient

Fifteen orthotopic liver transplants were performed from 23 April 1986 to June 1987 in 14 patients (age range 3-56 years). In 12 transplants, extracorporeal bypass was used. The installation was effected by suprahepatic and infrahepatic cava-caval and portaportal anastomoses. Arterial anastomosis was realized after reperfusing the graft through the vena porta. In 13 transplants the donor celiac trunk was anastomosed to the receptor's right hepatic artery. In one ten year-old girl, the donor celiac trunk was anastomosed to the left hepatic artery. In one patient who underwent retransplantation for rejection, the donor organ had two separate hepatic arteries and the right and left hepatic arteries were respectively anastomosed to the right and primitive hepatic arteries of the receptor. All patients were followed up periodically by Doppler echography and trimethyl-Br IDA 99 mTc scan, which, consistently confirmed the permeability of the anastomosis and dependent vessels, and the good perfusion and function of the grafts, which were free of infarcted areas. Three patients died at 30 and 31 days and postmortem studies demonstrated vascular permeability. Angiography was performed in one patient, evidencing a good vascular caliber in the hepatic arteriography.     

Surgical treatment of renal artery compression by diaphragmatic crus

Symptomatic compression of the renal artery by the diaphragmatic crus is a rare disorder. To our knowledge, renal artery compression by the diaphragmatic crus complicated with poststenosis aneurysm has not been reported. We present the case of a 28-year-old man with refractory hypertension. Extrinsic compression of the bilateral renal arteries and celiac artery and the aneurysm were proven by surgical exploration. We successfully performed left renal artery revascularization and renal autotransplantation in situ. Normal perfusion of the two bypass graft vessels was proven by computed tomography angiography.     

Surgical treatment of the left main trunk and left main equivalent coronary artery disease

The comparative studies on operative and hemodynamic results following aorto-coronary bypass grafting were performed in 9 patients with left main trunk (LMT) stenosis and 20 with left main equivalent (LME). One of 20 LME had bypass grafts occluded on the postoperative angiogram. There were two operative deaths, one in LMT, another in LME, and one late death. Following results were obtained in 8 LMT (Group I) and 15 LME (Group II) whose all bypass grafts were patent. There were significantly higher operative mortality rate and the incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction in Group I (11.1% versus 5.0%). Cardiac index and left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased postoperatively in both groups. Mean Vcf and PLVSP/LVESV significantly increased postoperatively in Group II, but not in Group I. Left ventricular anterior segmental wall motion significantly increased in both groups and apical in Group I, whereas it did not in the postero-inferior segment. The completely revascularized patients had a better postoperative left ventricular function comparing with the incompletely revascularized patients. Angina disappeared postoperatively in all patients in Group I and 12 (75%) in Group II. In both groups, NYHA classification was improved from class III or IV preoperatively to class I or II postoperatively. Postoperative 8 years actuarial survival rate was 88.2% in Group I and 84.6% in Group II. In conclusion, it was suggested that much more strict perioperative management and complete revascularization were needed in the patient with LMT.