Introduction.

Spontaneous dissection of the celiac artery or trunk is an unusual abdominal vascular emergency, with an unknown incidence. Currently there are no guidelines or consensus for its treatment, which ranges from major vascular interventions to expectant management.

Clinical case.

A 42-year-old male patient with no medical history, with intense abdominal pain of one month of evolution. Given the clinical suspicion of inflammatory pathology, an abdominal computed tomography with contrast was performed, in which a dissection of the celiac trunk associated with a splenic infarction was observed. Endovascular management was performed successfully.

Discussion.

Spontaneous dissection of the celiac trunk is an infrequent pathology, which can occur in patients with high blood pressure, smoking, atherosclerotic disease, and vasculitis. The most common symptoms are abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. Clinical suspicion must be confirmed by imaging studies that guide conservative, endovascular or surgical treatment in the event of suspected intestinal infarction or arterial rupture.

Conclusions.

Spontaneous dissection of the celiac trunk is an unusual vascular pathology that can be associated with high mortality. It is important to always keep in mind the relationship between the abdominal vascular anatomy, anamnesis, and physical examination as key elements in making this diagnosis.

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