• John L Kendall and Christopher B Davis.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado.
• J Emerg Med. 2013 Dec 1;45(6):894-6.

BackgroundA timely diagnosis of aortic dissection is associated with lower mortality. The use of emergent bedside ultrasound has been described to diagnose aortic dissection. However, there is limited literature regarding the use of bedside ultrasound to identify superior mesenteric artery dissection, a known high-risk feature of aortic dissection.ObjectiveOur aim was to present a case of superior mesenteric artery dissection identified by bedside ultrasound and review the utility of bedside ultrasound in the diagnosis of aortic emergencies.Case ReportWe report a case of superior mesenteric artery dissection found on emergent bedside ultrasound in a 46-year-old male complaining of abdominal pain with a history of cocaine abuse and prior aortic dissection. Bedside ultrasound in the emergency department revealed an intimal flap in the descending aorta with extension into the superior mesenteric artery prompting early surgical consultation before computed tomography because of concern for acute mesenteric ischemia.ConclusionSuperior mesenteric artery dissection is a high-risk feature of aortic dissection and can be identified with emergent bedside ultrasound.Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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