Median arcuate ligament syndrome and related conditions
Clear, sourced answers for people living with MALS
MALS is rare and often takes years to diagnose. We explain symptoms, tests and treatment options in plain language, so you can have better conversations with your doctors.
Our editorial standards
- Every medical article links to the peer-reviewed studies and guidelines it is based on
- Every article shows when it was last updated
- Key pages will be reviewed by a licensed physician, named on the page
- We do not sell treatments and do not take payment from clinics
Where are you right now?
Pick the step that fits you.
STEP 1
I have symptoms and no diagnosis
Pain after eating, weight loss, nausea: what MALS is, and what doctors usually rule out first.
STEP 2
I am getting tested
Duplex ultrasound, CT angiography and other tests: what each one shows and its limits.
STEP 3
I am considering surgery
How ligament release is done, questions for your surgeon, what recovery usually looks like.
STEP 4
I am living with MALS
Everyday life, emotions, family and support, and what to do when symptoms come back.
Conditions we cover
Vascular compression syndromes are rare and sometimes occur together.
MALSMedian arcuate ligament syndrome. Also called celiac artery compression syndrome or Dunbar syndrome.SMA syndromeSuperior mesenteric artery syndrome (Wilkie syndrome): compression of the duodenum.Nutcracker syndromeCompression of the left renal vein between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery.May-Thurner syndromeCompression of the left iliac vein by the right iliac artery.Pelvic congestion syndromeChronic pelvic pain linked to enlarged pelvic veins; sometimes connected to vein compression.
Practical guides
Short reading lists for the next step.
Meal and symptom diary
Track meals and pain for a few weeks and print a one-page summary for your doctor.
Questions for your doctor
A printable checklist for each stage, from first tests to life after surgery.
Eating with MALS
What the evidence says, practical eating tips and when weight loss is a warning sign.
Treatment without surgery
Celiac plexus block, pain care and the debate about who needs an operation.
Recovery after surgery
The first weeks, eating again, activity and when to call your team.
MALS in children and teens
How MALS shows up in young people and what parents can ask.
Our data
Built from public medical sources (PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, NIH), checked November 9, 2026, collected and checked in one place.
MALS surgery success rates
Results of every published study side by side: how many patients improve, by type of operation and age.
Where MALS is treated
Hospitals by state whose doctors have published on MALS, with links to their papers.
Patient survey
Anonymous, 3 minutes: how long diagnosis took, tests, treatment and results. Answers are shown to everyone.
Pelvic congestion: embolization results
Every published study side by side: how many women improve, pain scores before and after, recurrence.
May-Thurner: stent results
Every published study side by side: how often the stent stays open, symptom relief, ulcer healing.
SMA syndrome: treatment results
Every published study side by side: nutrition and each type of operation, improvement and recurrence.
Nutcracker: treatment results
Every published study side by side: stents and surgery, blood in the urine, stent migration.
Where related syndromes are treated
US hospitals that publish on May-Thurner, nutcracker, pelvic congestion and SMA syndrome, by state.
Clinical trials tracker
Every registered study for MALS and related syndromes, updated daily from ClinicalTrials.gov.
New research
Publications per year and the newest papers from PubMed, updated daily.
Research digest: October 2026
Every new paper of the month explained in plain language: what was found and why it matters.
The research gap
How little funding and research these conditions receive, in numbers.
Diagnosis codes
ICD-10 and Orphanet codes, checked against the official files.
