Sham surgery showdown: is MALS release a real fix or just a myth?

This study aims to settle the debate about whether surgery for Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) actually works. About 70 patients with chronic abdominal pain after eating will be randomly assigned to get either a real keyhole surgery to release a compressed artery or a sham (fake) operation. The goal is to see if the real surgery provides meaningful pain relief compared to the placebo effect.