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  • Title: [The "nutcracker syndrome" of the renal vein (superior mesenteric artery syndrome) as the cause of gastrointestinal complaints].
    Author: Hilgard P, Oberholzer K, Meyer zum Büschenfelde KH, Hohenfellner R, Gerken G.
    Journal: Dtsch Med Wochenschr; 1998 Jul 31; 123(31-32):936-40. PubMed ID: 9721569.
    Abstract:
    HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: Since the age of 19 a now 22-year-old man had complained of intermittent abdominal pain, irregular stools and paroxysmal tachycardia. The only preceding illness had been a single episode of iron-deficiency anemia. A laparoscopy, done 8 months after the onset of symptoms, had revealed an inflamed Meckel's diverticulum which was surgically removed. After transient improvement the symptoms recurred 5 months postoperatively. On admission to clarify the cause of the symptoms he had discrete abdominal pain on pressure, but physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. INVESTIGATIONS: Routine biochemical tests and endoscopy were normal. Abdominal computed tomography was suspicious of severe narrowing of the left renal artery by a crossing superior mesenteric artery. As a result the left testicular vein and the peripelvic venous network were markedly dilated by retrograde congestion, strongly suggesting the "nutcracker syndrome" of obstruction of the left renal vein. This diagnosis was confirmed by selective renal phlebography and pressure measurement. TREATMENT AND COURSE: The vascular anomaly was corrected surgically by reimplanting the left renal vein into the inferior vena cava 3-4 cm further caudally. The patients has been completely symptom-free since then. CONCLUSIONS: The nutcracker-syndrome is a rare cause of hematuria. The coexistence of this anomaly with gastrointestinal symptoms has not been previously described, but it is likely that congestion of the splanchnic veins by obstruction of the left renal vein was at least partly responsible for them, in view of the postoperative relief.
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