Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS)

Glad it’s hellful. One more important thing for recovery: avoid sitting at all costs and lay down frequently, even if only 10 minutes here and there. Sitting causes more compression on surgical site. I got an elevating work station at 3 months post surgery and that’s when the pain really started to subside and the healing speeded up. 1 year now and I still stand at work rather than sit. I probably always will because they can’t surgically raise the diaphragm :).

@sclindajanssen, this is so encouraging and I will be referring back to this as I do other posts. Others have said the recovery is long and I kind of understand it now. My gallbladder removal was lapriscopic too but this is much more involved. My doctor did addressed the nerves. I am optimistic but can see I will have to be patient.

Full recovery is much better for those who had ligament release AND celiac nerve plexus/ganglion removal vs those who only had ligament release.
My celiac nerve ganglia was partially removed and I’m doing well: pain is gone, no nausea, no early fullness, blood pressure stabilized, brain fog gone, abdominal and upper body swelling is gone, no more constant burping, can sleep well again, no more pounding and racing heart, no more “spraying” feeling under ribs, no more intense sweating and heat, no more arterial spasms (had 3 and those were excruciating), no more difficulty breathing due to hard diaphram, can exercise again, can take deep breaths and hold and swim under water long distance again.
So grateful!
Hope you do well. I would not trade the difficult time for anything because the gratitude found later is one of the greatest gifts one can have.

Did your surgeon address the celiac nerve as well as ligament release?

This is good to know. Everyone Immediately wants to know how I feel, if I can eat like normal and if all the problems are gone that I had before the surgery. It’s just hard to explain this to people that don’t have it and that it may take months for every symptom is gone.

Hi Shawnee
Welcome to Mayo. From my research the procedure your Dr recommended has worked for many in the past. Is the doctor doing the surgery a vascular surgeon? May I ask if you have got to the stage of not eating yet. If you are lucky and they caught the compression early having the surgery may be beneficial. I feel the longer the condition goes un-diagnosed the worse the symptoms get. in many of the posts you will find they can not eat as the pain gets worse leading to them losing weight rapidly. I have my surgery consultation in 2 weeks, here are the questions I will be asking that may be relevant for you too:
1) What part of the celiac trunk has been compressed?
2) What is the mean systolic velocity of the celiac artery?
3) Have you as a surgeon dealt with celiac compression before.
4) If so what is your success rate? (how many patients are pain free?)
5) Will it be necessary to have an angioplasty or stent in the artery?

I am hoping your compression is minor and you don't need the angioplasty or stenting. If the answers to the questions are satisfactory then I wouldn't leave it too long to make your decision. The longer you leave it the worse you will get. I wish you all the best, please keep us informed.

Mark

Sure. His name is dr Gary Kimble Jett. He is at Baylor heart hospital in Plano. I consulted with a general surgeon who was my second choice. I also sent my test to Dr. west in Fort Worth. I found his name on the MALS pals page on Facebook. He used to be in Houston and several on Facebook recommended him, however, when I sent him my test results, I received a call from his office saying that he would not take my case. Dr. Dennis gable was the surgeon assisting on my surgery. He Actually saw me in the hospital when I was first diagnosed. When i started getting worse again and was considering the surgery, he will referred me to Dr. Jett for the surgery. I decided to go with dr Jett because Of his credentials and at my first appointment he knew exactly what I was talking about and had no hesitation telling me what procedure he would do. Dr gable and Jett are both vascular surgeons. I am from Houston originally and a friend there recommended Dr. Charlton-Ouw. You might consider a second opinion with him. I’ll keep you posted.

Hi Shawnee
Welcome to Mayo. From my research the procedure your Dr recommended has worked for many in the past. Is the doctor doing the surgery a vascular surgeon? May I ask if you have got to the stage of not eating yet. If you are lucky and they caught the compression early having the surgery may be beneficial. I feel the longer the condition goes un-diagnosed the worse the symptoms get. in many of the posts you will find they can not eat as the pain gets worse leading to them losing weight rapidly. I have my surgery consultation in 2 weeks, here are the questions I will be asking that may be relevant for you too:
1) What part of the celiac trunk has been compressed?
2) What is the mean systolic velocity of the celiac artery?
3) Have you as a surgeon dealt with celiac compression before.
4) If so what is your success rate? (how many patients are pain free?)
5) Will it be necessary to have an angioplasty or stent in the artery?

I am hoping your compression is minor and you don't need the angioplasty or stenting. If the answers to the questions are satisfactory then I wouldn't leave it too long to make your decision. The longer you leave it the worse you will get. I wish you all the best, please keep us informed.

Mark

Hi Shawnee, I live in Dallas. I just had robotic lapriscopic surgery on Wednesday. I am just starting third day post op so I can’t say yet how I feel cause I have all the pain from the surgery. My surgeon is older so he has done this before. He was very confident in what needed to be done. He told my family when came out that it was very successful. Another vascular surgeon was ready to assist but was not needed. They were ready to convert to open if needed but didn’t him after al. I will update as I progress. I believe I can tell that I am able to eat more and don’t have that after eating pain but as I said, I’m holding cmmenting too much till I am out of this surgical pain.

This is good to know. Everyone Immediately wants to know how I feel, if I can eat like normal and if all the problems are gone that I had before the surgery. It’s just hard to explain this to people that don’t have it and that it may take months for every symptom is gone.