Aortoduodenal syndrome in the emergency department

An elderly man presented to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of small bowel obstruction. His medical history included an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm. Investigations confirmed small bowel obstruction, caused by the aneurysm compressing his duodenum: a condition known as 'aortoduodenal syndrome'. Due to the patient's age, frailty and preference, he was managed non-operatively. The case highlights the importance of considering indolent complications of enlarging abdominal aneurysms in an ageing population.