1. < Digestive Health

Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS)

Posted by Kari Ulrich, Alumna Mentor @kariulrich, Dec 26, 2016

I am looking for other patients that have been diagnosed with Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome. Although it is caused by compression of the celiac artery many people experience abdominal pain after eating, diarrhea, food avoidance. Usually the first doctors they see are GI doctors. It is a diagnosis that is made after everything else is ruled out. I am curious if anyone else has had surgery?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

lasirvent | @lasirvent | Mar 11, 2019

On Facebook there a group for MALS

REPLY
lasirvent | @lasirvent | Mar 11, 2019
In reply to @marideth401 "The symptoms you describe are very similar to my own which started a few years ago...." + (show)
@marideth401

The symptoms you describe are very similar to my own which started a few years ago. There is much that is unknown about MALS including any congenital and hereditary aspects. I do find it interesting that your uncle has it though. Studies show that MALS is more common than they thought and some people exhibit no symptoms while others have severe, debilitating symptoms. I’ve had CT angiography with and without contrast, mesenteric duplex ultrasound to check blood flow through the celiac artery and compression of the celiac plexus, an MRA and MRV, a swallow test to check flow through the duodenum, and a jugular venogram. Have you had some of these tests done already? I have celiac artery compression syndrome (basically the same as MALS), Nutcracker Syndrome (renal vein compression) and pelvic congestion syndrome (L ovarian varicose vein). These diseases can sometimes present together. Do not let these doctors tell you this is all in your head. Remember that they work for you! Educate yourself and advocate for yourself. I am sending my records to a MALS surgeon in Connecticut for another opinion (Richard Tsu, MD). I found his name on the Facebook MALS Pals support group site. You might be interested in checking that out. I pray that you’ll get some answers and experience relief from these annoying, painful problems soon. Also, you are not alone! There are many of us.

Jump to this post

Dr. Richard Hsu

REPLY
dwp60 | @dwp60 | Mar 12, 2019

Hi I’m 59 years old have been suffering with digestive issues for years. Just recently I was diagnosed with two small PEs in my left lung. During a follow up CT Scan I was told I have MALs. I’m just starting this journey and have not been able to eat much as well as extreme fatigue and constantly going back and forth to the hospital. I have an upper aortic aneurysm as well as irregular heart beat. I’m not sure what all is going on but I was told my body is deconditioned. I started trying ensure to see if it would help with my lack of eating and the pain in my stomach after I eat. It has not helped. I feel hopeless because so many things seem to be going wrong for me right now. I live in Maryland and will be seeing a Vascular Surgeon very soon. My gastrologist is sending me to Johns Hopkins to meet with a surgeon. He did tell me this was extremely rare.

REPLY
2 replies
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019

I am a 52 year old male and I have diarrhea with nausea almost everday of my life. I have tested for many things but I just could never get relief. I somewhat learned to deal with the diarrhea by taking questran every morning before eating anything for 2 hours. If not I would get diarrhea within 10 minutes of eating my first meal everyday. I also get spells of severe abdominal pain with my stomach right in the middle under my ribs being ultra sore. I was recently hospitalized and they were thinking pancreatitis but they did a ct scan and found 75 percent stenosis of my celiac trunk artery. They say it is from vasculitis but the the ct scan clearly shows my ligament that attaches to my diaphragm is rapped around my celiac artery. The artery is only 2mm in dia now but the artery just past the ligament is 6.5 mm. It hurts almost all the time now but especially when I exhale. They want me to see a rheumatologist for treatment of vasculitis but I feel I actually have Mals syndrome. Here is a picture of my celiac artery.

REPLY
2 replies
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019
In reply to @jpol "I am a 52 year old male and I have diarrhea with nausea almost everday of..." + (show)
@jpol

I am a 52 year old male and I have diarrhea with nausea almost everday of my life. I have tested for many things but I just could never get relief. I somewhat learned to deal with the diarrhea by taking questran every morning before eating anything for 2 hours. If not I would get diarrhea within 10 minutes of eating my first meal everyday. I also get spells of severe abdominal pain with my stomach right in the middle under my ribs being ultra sore. I was recently hospitalized and they were thinking pancreatitis but they did a ct scan and found 75 percent stenosis of my celiac trunk artery. They say it is from vasculitis but the the ct scan clearly shows my ligament that attaches to my diaphragm is rapped around my celiac artery. The artery is only 2mm in dia now but the artery just past the ligament is 6.5 mm. It hurts almost all the time now but especially when I exhale. They want me to see a rheumatologist for treatment of vasculitis but I feel I actually have Mals syndrome. Here is a picture of my celiac artery.

Jump to this post

Here is the picture of my celiac
REPLY
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019
In reply to @jpol "I am a 52 year old male and I have diarrhea with nausea almost everday of..." + (show)
@jpol

I am a 52 year old male and I have diarrhea with nausea almost everday of my life. I have tested for many things but I just could never get relief. I somewhat learned to deal with the diarrhea by taking questran every morning before eating anything for 2 hours. If not I would get diarrhea within 10 minutes of eating my first meal everyday. I also get spells of severe abdominal pain with my stomach right in the middle under my ribs being ultra sore. I was recently hospitalized and they were thinking pancreatitis but they did a ct scan and found 75 percent stenosis of my celiac trunk artery. They say it is from vasculitis but the the ct scan clearly shows my ligament that attaches to my diaphragm is rapped around my celiac artery. The artery is only 2mm in dia now but the artery just past the ligament is 6.5 mm. It hurts almost all the time now but especially when I exhale. They want me to see a rheumatologist for treatment of vasculitis but I feel I actually have Mals syndrome. Here is a picture of my celiac artery.

Jump to this post

Here is picture I found showing how a normal celiac artery should look and also how one would look with Mals. Mine clearly looks like the Mals
REPLY
Ethan McConkey, Moderator | @ethanmcconkey | Mar 16, 2019

Hi @jpol and welcome to Connect. Those symptoms must be awful. You may have noticed I moved your post to this existing discussion on MALS so that you can connect with others who have experience with this and os that you can learn what they have had to say.

I wanted to introduce you to fellow Connect members @kariulrich and @jbdforisu as they have experience with this and you may be able to provide support for eachother.

Back to you @jpol have you mentioned to your doctor that you think it is MALS as opposed to vasculitis?

REPLY
1 reply
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019
In reply to @ethanmcconkey "Hi @jpol and welcome to Connect. Those symptoms must be awful. You may have noticed I..." + (show)
@ethanmcconkey

Hi @jpol and welcome to Connect. Those symptoms must be awful. You may have noticed I moved your post to this existing discussion on MALS so that you can connect with others who have experience with this and os that you can learn what they have had to say.

I wanted to introduce you to fellow Connect members @kariulrich and @jbdforisu as they have experience with this and you may be able to provide support for eachother.

Back to you @jpol have you mentioned to your doctor that you think it is MALS as opposed to vasculitis?

Jump to this post

Not yet, I am going to monday

REPLY
1 reply
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019
In reply to @jpol "Not yet, I am going to monday" + (show)
@jpol

Not yet, I am going to monday

Jump to this post

Can I put my pictures back or no.

REPLY
1 reply
jpol | @jpol | Mar 16, 2019
In reply to @jpol "Can I put my pictures back or no." + (show)
@jpol

Can I put my pictures back or no.

Jump to this post

I see they are still there just before my original post

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.