Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome Clinical Presentation, Pathophysiology, and Management: Description of Four Cases

Abstract

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), otherwise called celiac artery compression syndrome (CACS), is an uncommon disorder that results from an anatomical compression of the celiac axis and/or celiac ganglion by the MAL. Patients typically present with abdominal pain of unknown etiology exacerbated by eating along with nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. MALS is a diagnosis of exclusion that should be considered in patients with severe upper abdominal pain, which does not correlate with the objective findings. The cardinal feature which is elicited in the diagnosis of MALS relies on imaging studies of the celiac artery, demonstrating narrowing during expiration. The definitive treatment is the median arcuate ligament’s surgical release to achieve surgical decompression of the celiac plexus by division of the MAL. This article describes our experience with this entity, focusing on symptom presentation, diagnostic challenges, and management, including long-term follow-up in four cases.