Spontaneous superior mesenteric vein tear

Alexandra McMillan; Dustin Williamson; Stefan Iverson; Burt Katubig

doi:10.1016/j.tcr.2025.101271

Spontaneous superior mesenteric vein tear

Trauma Case Rep. 2025 Nov 14:60:101271. doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2025.101271. eCollection 2025 Dec.

Authors

Alexandra McMillan¹, Dustin Williamson¹, Stefan Iverson¹, Burt Katubig²

Affiliations

¹ Sky Ridge Medical Center General Surgery Residency Program, Lone Tree, CO, United States of America.
² Sky Ridge Medical Center, Lone Tree, CO, United States of America.

Abstract

Non-traumatic injury of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV) is extremely rare. Hemoperitoneum from blunt abdominal trauma has been well documented in the literature; however, hemorrhage from a ruptured SMV has been rarely reported. A few cases describing non-traumatic rupture of the SMV are secondary to patients with underlying conditions such as portal hypertension, hepatic cirrhosis and acute pancreatitis. However, our patient did not express any of these findings. We present a case of spontaneous SMV tear in a patient who presented with a one-day history of abdominal pain with no underlying comorbidities or history of trauma.

Keywords: Second-look surgery; Superior mesenteric vein tear; Trauma surgery; Vascular system injuries.

Publication types

Case Reports