Segmental mediolytic arteriopathy in a patient with intraperitoneal bleeding.

Segmental mediolytic arteriopathy (SMA) is a rare condition. It was first defined in 1976 and has been well described in the literature, although to date the aetiology of the condition is unknown. In most case reports SMA is diagnosed retrospectively once tissue has undergone histological examination. We present the first known case of SMA of the colic, mid-jejunal, common hepatic, intrahepatic and gastric arteries to be diagnosed at angiography after multiple episodes of undiagnosed intraperitoneal bleeding, and, perhaps related to this, one of the few reported patients with SMA involving multiple intra-abdominal arteries to have survived.