Usah Khrucharoen1, Yen-Yi Juo1, Yas Sanaiha1, J Paul Finn2, Juan C Jimenez3, Erik P Dutson4. 1. Section of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical & Interventional Technology (CASIT), Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA. 2. Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. 3. Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. 4. Section of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical & Interventional Technology (CASIT), Department of Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, CA. Electronic address: EDutson@mednet.ucla.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aims to identify potential risk factors for becoming symptomatic in patients with radiographic celiac artery compression (CAC) as well as prognostic factors for patients with median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) who underwent surgical ligament release. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with findings of CAC on computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography (CT/MRA) who were asymptomatic and who were diagnosed with MALS at a single university hospital between January 2001 and 2018. RESULTS: Following a review of 1,330 CT/MRA reports, a total of 109 patients were identified as having radiographically apparent CAC. Among these, 48 (44.0%) patients were symptomatic. Univariate comparison between those with and without symptoms showed that symptomatic patients were more commonly younger than 30 years old [17/48 (35.4%) vs. 8/61 (13.1%), P = 0.006], had a history of prior abdominal surgery [25/48 (52.1%) vs. 18/61 (29.5%), P = 0.017], and had high-grade stenosis [32/43 (74.4%) vs. 25/61 (41.0%), P = 0.001]. Among 41 included patients who underwent surgical release of the median arcuate ligament including open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches, 82.9% reported overall clinical improvement, 5/41 (12.2%) reported persistent pain, and 13/36 (36.0%) experienced pain recurrence. The only identified risk factor associated with symptom recurrence was American Society of Anesthesiologists class III [7/13 (53.8%) vs. 4/23 (17.4%), P = 0.029]. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of stenosis and prior abdominal surgery both contributed to symptom development in patients with radiographically apparent CAC from the median arcuate ligament.
BACKGROUND: This study aims to identify potential risk factors for becoming symptomatic in patients with radiographic celiac artery compression (CAC) as well as prognostic factors for patients with median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) who underwent surgical ligament release. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with findings of CAC on computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography (CT/MRA) who were asymptomatic and who were diagnosed with MALS at a single university hospital between January 2001 and 2018. RESULTS: Following a review of 1,330 CT/MRA reports, a total of 109 patients were identified as having radiographically apparent CAC. Among these, 48 (44.0%) patients were symptomatic. Univariate comparison between those with and without symptoms showed that symptomatic patients were more commonly younger than 30 years old [17/48 (35.4%) vs. 8/61 (13.1%), P = 0.006], had a history of prior abdominal surgery [25/48 (52.1%) vs. 18/61 (29.5%), P = 0.017], and had high-grade stenosis [32/43 (74.4%) vs. 25/61 (41.0%), P = 0.001]. Among 41 included patients who underwent surgical release of the median arcuate ligament including open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches, 82.9% reported overall clinical improvement, 5/41 (12.2%) reported persistent pain, and 13/36 (36.0%) experienced pain recurrence. The only identified risk factor associated with symptom recurrence was American Society of Anesthesiologists class III [7/13 (53.8%) vs. 4/23 (17.4%), P = 0.029]. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of stenosis and prior abdominal surgery both contributed to symptom development in patients with radiographically apparent CAC from the median arcuate ligament.