Renal-splanchnic steal syndrome: the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia with renal angioplasty and stenting.

The clinical syndrome of chronic mesenteric ischemia classically presents with a combination of involuntary weight loss, post prandial abdominal pain, and food fear. With occlusion or stenosis of the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries (SMA) collateral blood flow between mesenteric vessels is common and frequently act as the sole blood supply to the intestine. We present a rare case of chronic mesenteric ischemia in which the main blood supply to the celiac and SMA were collaterals coming off the right renal artery resulting in renal-splachnic steal. After an unsuccessful attempt to cannulate the SMA and celiac vessels it was possible to relieve this patient's symptoms with renal artery stenting.