This condition is a rare cause of upper intestinal obstruction, resulting from the compression of the duodenum between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery, namely by the aortomesenteric clamp.

If the angle of this clamp becomes narrowed, the duodenum gets constricted. This prevents the further passage of the food bolus.

Food stagnation happens at the clamp after leaving the stomach, hence the inability to receive appropriate nutrition without experiencing pain and/or vomiting.

It is a low prevalence disease, its estimated incidence is 0.013 to 0.3% in the general population.