Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (Aug 2020)

Spontaneous Isolated Celiac Artery Dissection: A Case Report

  • Clifford L. Freeman,
  • Aaron J. Lacy,
  • Aubrey Miner,
  • Devin M. Rogers,
  • Austin T. Smith,
  • Karan S. Shah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.2020.5.46906
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 3

Abstract

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Introduction: Abdominal pain is a common chief complaint that can represent a wide breadth of diagnoses, ranging from benign to life-threatening. As our diagnostic tools become more sophisticated, we are able to better identify more causes of potentially life-threatening diseases. One such disease that is relatively unfamiliar to clinicians is spontaneous isolated celiac artery dissection (SICAD). Case Report: We describe a case of a 46-year-old man who presented to our emergency department with a chief complaint of abdominal pain and was found to have a SICAD and was successfully treated with anticoagulation, antihypertensives, and observation. Conclusion: It is important for emergency physicians to keep this potentially life-threatening condition in mind and to know the appropriate first steps once identified.