Peripheral Inflammatory Superior Mesenteric Artery Aneurysm Diagnosed by Intraoperative and Histological Findings: A Case Report

Abstract

Although rare, superior mesenteric artery aneurysms (SMAAs) are life-threatening due to their high rupture rate. We herein report a case involving an 80-year-old man who presented with acute cholecystitis and who was incidentally found to have a 36-mm peripheral SMAA. A surgical intervention was performed, involving resection of the SMAA and reconstruction of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) using an autologous vein graft. Intraoperative and histological findings indicated an inflammatory aneurysm, and the postoperative course was uneventful. We believe that resection of the aneurysm and reconstruction of the SMA is the preferred procedure for SMAAs to maintain adequate mesenteric circulations.