Spontaneous superior mesenteric artery (SMA) dissection: an unusual cause of abdominal pain.

A 44-year-old woman presented to our Emergency Department with a 4-day history of severe, sharp left upper quadrant abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. She had been seen 3 days prior at another Emergency Department, and had a negative work-up including a normal non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen/pelvis for possible kidney stone. Vital signs were: temperature 36.