Intra-abdominal hemorrhage caused by segmental arterial mediolysis of the inferior mesenteric artery: Report of a case

PURPOSE: This article reports a patient with acute intra-abdominal hemorrhage secondary to a rare vascular disease, segmental arterial mediolysis METHODS: The patient was a 56-year-old female who presented with severe acute abdominal pain. An abdominal and pelvic computed tomogram demonstrated suggestion of an intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Visceral angiography illustrated aneurysms in the branches of the inferior mesenteric artery. The patient underwent a left hemicolectomy with resection of the diseased artery. RESULTS: The angiographic and histologic findings were consistent with a diagnosis of segmental arterial mediolysis involving only the inferior mesenteric artery. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first known reported case of intra-abdominal hemorrhage related to segmental arterial mediolysis requiring emergent hemicolectomy.