Patient-Reported Experiences With Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome: Resilience and Resources Required

Objective: Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a vascular condition that is treated surgically. MALS is a diagnosis of exclusion and therefore often requires that pediatric patients undergo an exhaustive number of tests and potential experiences with misdiagnosis before receiving an accurate diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of the current mixed-methods study was to assess the pediatric patient- and parent-reported experience of (a) coping with and managing symptoms associated with MALS and (b) the diagnostic, treatment, and recovery process for pediatric MALS. Methods: Nine postsurgical pediatric patients (M age = 20.11 ± 3.59; all