Dunbar’s syndrome

PubMed, the Internet portal of biomedical and life sciences literature, indexed an interesting article, entitled “Dunbar’s syndrome and aorto-mesenteric compression. A casual association?” (Chir Ital. 2001 Jul-Aug;53(4):515-21). Authors are Sianesi M, Dalla Valle R, Del Rio P, et al., from the Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica Generale e dei Trapianti d’Organo Universita di Parma, Italy. Celiac artery compression syndrome and superior mesenteric artery syndrome are two rare diseases with a pathogenesis which is still controversial. Only one case of association between these two syndromes has been reported. In this paper the authors analyse the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of these syndromes emphasising their common aspects. The association of the coeliac artery compression syndrome and superior mesenteric artery syndrome has never been thoroughly studied because of their rarity. The lack of recognition of this association may, in some cases, justify the controversial results reported in the surgical treatment of these syndromes. To access the full abstract of the article, click here.