We’ve compiled research papers and information about SMA Syndrome.

If you have any to add, please submit using the form at the bottom of the page.

The Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a division of the National Institutes of Health, provides an overview of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome research.

The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders has an overview of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome research.

Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) Syndrome. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. September 2014; http://www.iffgd.org/site/gi-disorders/other/sma-syndrome.

Medscape provides a reference of SMA Syndrome:

Karrer FM. Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Medscape Reference. January 6, 2017; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/932220-overview.

Wills, M.V., Barajas-Gamboa, J.S., Mocanu, V. et al. Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy for superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Surg Endosc 39, 5235–5243 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-025-11774-6

Alamayreh, Ghandi & Abuawad, Mahmoud & Daasan, Abdullah & Tayyem, Rand & Hamdan, Liyan & Nassar, Rashid & Taha, Mohammad Jehad & Abuawwad, Mohammad T.. (2025). Surgical and quality of life outcomes in patients with superior mesenteric artery syndrome following laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy. Surgical Endoscopy. 39. 3186-3192. 10.1007/s00464-025-11706-4.

Jain, Hemant & Joshi, Riecha & Sudan, Aarushi & Banga, Akshat. (2025). Laparoscopic Duodenojejunal Bypass for Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome after Failed Medical Management: A Case Report. American Journal of Case Reports and Clinical Images. 01. 01-06. 10.51521/AJCRCI.2024.11-1101.

Rahman, Md & Alam, Jahangir & Ahmed, Mostak & Ahmed, Kabir & Khan, Md Abdullah Saeed. (2025). Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a Young Woman: A Case Report From Low‐Resource Settings. Clinical Case Reports. 13. 10.1002/ccr3.70326.

Melicher, D., Gaál, S., Berényi, T. et al. A rare cause of abdominal pain in pregnancy – mesenteric artery thrombosis and miscarriage in a 34-year-old patient. Int J Emerg Med 17, 79 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00661-x

Iles K; McEwan S; Nizamani R. Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in a Burn Patient. American College of Surgeons. Volume 4, Number 6. July 8, 2024; https://www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/journals/case-reviews/issues/v4n6/12-nizamani-sma-burn-patient/.

Alleelwa B, Mohammad Waleed Q, Soni A, et al. (November 26, 2025) Diagnostic Pitfalls in Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Case Report. Cureus 17(11): e97858. doi:10.7759/cureus.97858

Christou M, Thanasa A, Papamichail M, et al. (November 14, 2025) Gastrointestinal Obstruction Secondary to Wilkie’s Syndrome: A Case Report of a Rare Clinical Presentation. Cureus 17(11): e96849. doi:10.7759/cureus.96849

Alqandouz R, Mohamed A A, Sharafuddin S, et al. (November 12, 2025) Complicated Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Cureus 17(11): e96723. doi:10.7759/cureus.96723

Shen J, Shen K, Weissman B, et al. (September 06, 2025) Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Case Report. Cureus 17(9): e91747. doi:10.7759/cureus.91747

Roldão M, Salgadinho Machado A, Oliveira J, et al. (August 17, 2025) Wilkie’s Syndrome: A Rare Clinical Case of Frailty Cachexia. Cureus 17(8): e90272. doi:10.7759/cureus.90272

Ballardo Medina C, Carrasco Gaxiola A, Matus Rojas J, et al. (July 01, 2025) Wilkie’s Syndrome as a Cause of Intestinal Obstruction and Chronic Abdominal Pain: A Case Report. Cureus 17(7): e87141. doi:10.7759/cureus.87141

KNB S, Guru G, Raghupathy T, et al. (June 25, 2025) A Rare Case Report of Delayed Diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) Thrombosis Leading to Extensive Bowel Resection. Cureus 17(6): e86771. doi:10.7759/cureus.86771

Gioftsiou S, Faiz M, Mohammadi M (June 19, 2025) Anatomy Gone Wrong: A Rare Tale of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome and Duodenal Obstruction. Cureus 17(6): e86345. doi:10.7759/cureus.86345

Ang D, Hofmann A, Attili A, Sang W, Soltani T, Richards W, Ferber L, Taylor D. Outcomes After Duodenoduodenostomy for Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Am Surg. 2024 Nov 20:31348241300361. doi: 10.1177/00031348241300361. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39568120.

Ansar M, Shahbaz M, Saleemi A, et al. (November 04, 2024) Recurrent Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Cureus 16(11): e72996. doi:10.7759/cureus.72996

White A, Shannon K, Stewart J, et al. (August 22, 2024) A Delayed Presentation of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Treated With Robotic-Assisted Strong Procedure. Cureus 16(8): e67527. doi:10.7759/cureus.67527

Jayakar S, Mogekar S (July 01, 2024) Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Report of a Rare Case. Cureus 16(7): e63572. doi:10.7759/cureus.63572

Talboom A, Van Dessel E (May 24, 2024) Single Anastomosis Sleeve Jejunal Bypass in Acute Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Case Report. Cureus 16(5): e60971. doi:10.7759/cureus.60971

Ebrahim M A, Zaher E A, Patel P, et al. (March 24, 2024) Chest Pain Redefined: Atypical Presentation of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Cureus 16(3): e56834. doi:10.7759/cureus.56834

Lurie A, Guntupalli L, Stoll V, et al. (August 17, 2023) Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Masquerading As Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case Report. Cureus 15(8): e43623. doi:10.7759/cureus.43623

Salih N, Baig K S, Ullah I, et al. (June 20, 2023) Unveiling the Uncommon: Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Presenting As Gastritis. Cureus 15(6): e40704. doi:10.7759/cureus.40704

Alshaibani F (November 24, 2022) Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome in Down Syndrome: A Case Report. Cureus 14(11): e31854. doi:10.7759/cureus.31854

Alaradi H M, Juma H R, Abdulnabi Z M, et al. (November 14, 2022) A Rare Presentation of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome as Acute Abdomen. Cureus 14(11): e31484. doi:10.7759/cureus.31484

Ali T, Tomka J, Bakirli I, et al. (April 18, 2022) Surgical Treatment of Wilkie’s Syndrome by Vascular Transposition. Cureus 14(4): e24251. doi:10.7759/cureus.24251

Segovia F D, Ream S, Dang T, et al. (August 05, 2022) COVID-19-Associated Superior Mesenteric Artery Thrombosis and Acute Intestinal Ischemia. Cureus 14(8): e27722. doi:10.7759/cureus.27722

Yazdani S, Bloomberg Z, Klauber R, Meresh E. Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder emerging during COVID-19 pandemic resulting in superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Eat Weight Disord. 2022 Oct;27(7):2943-2945. doi: 10.1007/s40519-022-01415-5. Epub 2022 May 24. PMID: 35608814; PMCID: PMC9128632.

Gebhart T. Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome. Gastroenterol Nursing. May-June 2015; 38(3):189-93. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26035775.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: an unusual case of intestinal obstruction.Pleşa A, Constantinescu C, Crumpei F, Cotea E.J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2006 Mar;15(1):69-72.PMID: 16680237

Superior mesenteric artery (Wilkie’s) syndrome: a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal system obstruction.Oguz A, Uslukaya O, Ülger BV, Turkoglu A, Bahadır MV, Bozdag Z, Böyük A, Göya C.Acta Chir Belg. 2016 Apr;116(2):81-8. doi: 10.1080/00015458.2016.1139830.PMID: 27385294

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome and its associated gastrointestinal implications.Mathenge N, Osiro S, Rodriguez II, Salib C, Tubbs RS, Loukas M.Clin Anat. 2014 Nov;27(8):1244-52. doi: 10.1002/ca.22249. Epub 2013 Aug 20.PMID: 23959808 Review.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: risk factor for duodenal involvement in Henoch-Schönlein purpura.Harada T, Kaneko T, Ito S, Hataya H, Nariai A, Mori M, Yokota S.Pediatr Int. 2011 Oct;53(5):630-633. doi: 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2010.03298.x.PMID: 21129122

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction.Baltazar U, Dunn J, Floresguerra C, Schmidt L, Browder W.South Med J. 2000 Jun;93(6):606-8.PMID: 10881780 Review.

Ortiz C, Cleveland RH, Blickman JG, Jaramillo D, Kim SH. Familial superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Pediatric Radiology. October, 1990; 20(8):588-589. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02129061.

Ciortescu I, Nemteanu R, Hincu C, Gheorghe L, Plesa A. An Underrated Diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: A Case Report. Diagnostics. 2022; 12(9):2159. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12092159

UpToDate.com provides several scientific papers detailing SMA Syndrome, including:

• Scovell S, Hamdan A. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome.
• Cohen LB, Field SP, Sachar DB. The superior mesenteric artery syndrome. The disease that isn’t, or is it? J Clin Gastroenterol 1985; 7:113.
• Ylinen P, Kinnunen J, Höckerstedt K. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome. A follow-up study of 16 operated patients. J Clin Gastroenterol 1989; 11:386.
• Hines JR, Gore RM, Ballantyne GH. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches. Am J Surg 1984; 148:630.
• DERRICK JR, FADHLI HA. SURGICAL ANATOMY OF THE SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY. Am Surg 1965; 31:545.
• Ozkurt H, Cenker MM, Bas N, et al. Measurement of the distance and angle between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery: normal values in different BMI categories. Surg Radiol Anat 2007; 29:595.
• Sapkas G, O’Brien JP. Vascular compression of the duodenum (cast syndrome) associated with the treatment of spinal deformities. A report of six cases. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 1981; 98:7.
• Merrett ND, Wilson RB, Cosman P, Biankin AV. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: diagnosis and treatment strategies. J Gastrointest Surg 2009; 13:287.
• Agarwal T, Rockall TA, Wright AR, Gould SW. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a patient with HIV. J R Soc Med 2003; 96:350.
• Stümpfle R, Wright AR, Walsh J. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in an HIV positive patient. Sex Transm Infect 2003; 79:262.
• Di Lecce F, Paini PB, Pagliari C, et al. [Superior mesenteric venous thrombosis. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature]. Chir Ital 2003; 55:77.
• Smith BM, Zyromski NJ, Purtill MA. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: an underrecognized entity in the trauma population. J Trauma 2008; 64:827.
• Reckler JM, Bruck HM, Munster AM, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome as a consequence of burn injury. J Trauma 1972; 12:979.
• Goitein D, Gagné DJ, Papasavas PK, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity. Obes Surg 2004; 14:1008.
• Clapp B, Applebaum B. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after Roux-en-y gastric bypass. JSLS 2010; 14:143.
• Baker MT, Lara MD, Kothari SN. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Surg Obes Relat Dis 2006; 2:667.
• Schroeppel TJ, Chilcote WS, Lara MD, Kothari SN. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Surgery 2005; 137:383.
• Laffont I, Bensmail D, Rech C, et al. Late superior mesenteric artery syndrome in paraplegia: case report and review. Spinal Cord 2002; 40:88.
• Barnes JB, Lee M. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in an intravenous drug abuser after rapid weight loss. South Med J 1996; 89:331.
• Pentlow BD, Dent RG. Acute vascular compression of the duodenum in anorexia nervosa. Br J Surg 1981; 68:665.
• Gwee K, Teh A, Huang C. Acute superior mesenteric artery syndrome and pancreatitis in anorexia nervosa. Australas Psychiatry 2010; 18:523.
• Zerańska M, Tomaszewicz-Libudzic C, Jagielska G, Komender J. [Surgical complications occurring during hospitalization of patients with anorexia nervosa–literature review and a discussion of three cases]. Psychiatr Pol 2002; 36:579.
• Adson DE, Mitchell JE, Trenkner SW. The superior mesenteric artery syndrome and acute gastric dilatation in eating disorders: a report of two cases and a review of the literature. Int J Eat Disord 1997; 21:103.
• Okamoto T, Sato T, Sasaki Y. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a healthy active adolescent. BMJ Case Rep 2019; 12.
• Biank V, Werlin S. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in children: a 20-year experience. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2006; 42:522.
• Shin MS, Kim JY. Optimal duration of medical treatment in superior mesenteric artery syndrome in children. J Korean Med Sci 2013; 28:1220.
• Lee TH, Lee JS, Jo Y, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: where do we stand today? J Gastrointest Surg 2012; 16:2203.
• Zadegan F, Lenoir T, Drain O, et al. [Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following correction of spinal deformity: case report and review of the literature]. Rev Chir Orthop Reparatrice Appar Mot 2007; 93:181.
• Schwartz A. Scoliosis, superior mesenteric artery syndrome, and adolescents. Orthop Nurs 2007; 26:19.
• Vitale MG, Higgs GB, Liebling MS, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after segmental instrumentation: a biomechanical analysis. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 1999; 28:461.
• Zhu ZZ, Qiu Y. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following scoliosis surgery: its risk indicators and treatment strategy. World J Gastroenterol 2005; 11:3307.
• Crowther MA, Webb PJ, Eyre-Brook IA. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following surgery for scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2002; 27:E528.
• Cho KR, Jo WM. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after esophagectomy with cervical esophagogastrostomy. Ann Thorac Surg 2006; 82:e37.
• Iwaoka Y, Yamada M, Takehira Y, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in identical twin brothers. Intern Med 2001; 40:713.
• Caspi B, Deutsch H, Grunshpan M, et al. Prenatal manifestation of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Prenat Diagn 2003; 23:932.
• Tseng CK, Su WB, Lai HC, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome caused by celiac axis compression syndrome: a case report and review of the literature. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2008; 20:578.
• Lin TH, Lin CC, Tsai JD. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome and nutcracker syndrome. Pediatr Neonatol 2020; 61:351.
• Heidbreder R. Co-occurring superior mesenteric artery syndrome and nutcracker syndrome requiring Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy and left renal vein transposition: a case report and review of the literature. J Med Case Rep 2018; 12:214.
• Wang T, Wang ZX, Wang HJ. Clinical Insights into Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome with Multiple Diseases: A Case Report. Dig Dis Sci 2019; 64:1711.
• Oh MJ. Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Combined with Renal Nutcracker Syndrome in a Young Male: A Case Report. Korean J Gastroenterol 2017; 70:253.
• Lim JE, Duke GL, Eachempati SR. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome presenting with acute massive gastric dilatation, gastric wall pneumatosis, and portal venous gas. Surgery 2003; 134:840.
• Fuhrman MA, Felig DM, Tanchel ME. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome with obstructing duodenal bezoar. Gastrointest Endosc 2003; 57:387.
• Anderson FH. Megaduodenum. A case report and literature review. Am J Gastroenterol 1974; 62:509.
• Neri S, Signorelli SS, Mondati E, et al. Ultrasound imaging in diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. J Intern Med 2005; 257:346.
• Unal B, Aktaş A, Kemal G, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: CT and ultrasonography findings. Diagn Interv Radiol 2005; 11:90.
• Lippl F, Hannig C, Weiss W, et al. Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: diagnosis and treatment from the gastroenterologist’s view. J Gastroenterol 2002; 37:640.
• Santer R, Young C, Rossi T, Riddlesberger MM. Computed tomography in superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Pediatr Radiol 1991; 21:154.
• Applegate GR, Cohen AJ. Dynamic CT in superior mesenteric artery syndrome. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1988; 12:976.
• Munns SW, Morrissy RT, Golladay ES, McKenzie CN. Hyperalimentation for superior mesenteric-artery (cast) syndrome following correction of spinal deformity. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1984; 66:1175.
• STRONG EK. Mechanics of arteriomesentric duodenal obstruction and direct surgical attack upon etiology. Ann Surg 1958; 148:725.
• Wilson-Storey D, MacKinlay GA. The superior mesenteric artery syndrome. J R Coll Surg Edinb 1986; 31:175.
• Gersin KS, Heniford BT. Laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy for treatment of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. JSLS 1998; 2:281.
• Richardson WS, Surowiec WJ. Laparoscopic repair of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Am J Surg 2001; 181:377.
• Bermas H, Fenoglio ME. Laparoscopic management of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. JSLS 2003; 7:151.
• Massoud WZ. Laparoscopic management of superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Int Surg 1995; 80:322.