Abstract
We report a case of chronic type of superior mesenteric artery occlusion with abdominal angina demonstrating interesting clinical course and etiology. The patient was a 72 year old woman. She was admitted to our hospital for the examination of abdominal pain in May 1993. Postprandial abdominal pain continued for 1 to several hours after meals without melena or diarrhea. She had abdominal bruits. Usual laboratory findings were normal including the negative test of blood stool. Fiberscope of upper GI tract and barium study of small and large intestine were normal, however, enhanced CT and abdominal angiography showed the occlusion and stenosis of superior mesenteric artery. And then, we diagnosed abdominal angina induced by superior mesenteric artery occlusion. As her abdominal pain was decreased by medicines, she could discharge. The etiology of her arterial occlusion may be due to anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome because she had anti-cardiolipin antibody.
