Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) Syndrome With Enterocutaneous Fistula in a Young Woman: A Rare Association

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is also known as Wilkie's syndrome. Sometimes it is the cause of obstruction in the duodenum. In SMA syndrome, the acute angulation of the SMA against the abdominal aorta can prevent duodenal contents from draining into the jejunum (upper small intestine); hence inadequate intake of nutrition leads to weight loss and malnutrition. This is primarily attributed to the loss of intervening pad of mesenteric fat tissue due to various debilitating conditions. Abnormal connections between the intra-abdominal gastrointestinal tracts and skin over the abdomen are known as enterocutaneous fistulas (ECF). In this case report, a 37-year-old woman with a history of chronic dull pain in the upper abdominal region over the last seven months, who also complained of bloating, infrequent vomiting, nausea, and upper abdominal fullness for the same amount of time, was seen in the emergency room. Her symptoms had deteriorated by the time she approached the hospital. Additionally, she reports having had a foul-smelling, purulent discharge for the past five years right below the umbilicus. Upon close investigation, it was determined to be feces, and it was later discovered to be a low-output enterocutaneous fistula. She describes having an exploratory laparotomy and adhesiolysis for an intra-abdominal abscess and an acute intestinal obstruction caused by adhesions. This case emphasizes the provocation given a diagnosis of SMA syndrome with enterocutaneous fistula and demands increased awareness of this entity. This will ameliorate early identification to reduce immaterial tests and irrelevant treatments.