ANEURYSM OF THE CELIAC TRUNK CAUSED BY TH E ARCUATE LIGAMENT

INTRODUCTION: Aneurysms of arteries supplying the digestive tract are uncommon and usually asymptomatic. CLINICAL REPORT: A 58-year old woma n presented weight-loss with intestinal angina and a painful abdomen. Explorations included an arteriogram of the aorta and the digestive ar teries which showed an aneurysm of the celiac trunk located immediatel y below a stenosis facing the arcuate ligament. DISCUSSION: The discov ery of an aneurysm of the celiac trunk in a patient without any histor y of hypertension or artheromatous disease led us to implicate the arc uate ligament as the causal agent Radiography and histology findings f avored this hypothesis. (C) 1997, Masson, Paris.