Diverticular disease of the small bowel

Abstract

A diverticulum is a bulging sack in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common site for the formation of diverticula is the large intestine. Small intestine diverticular disease is much less common than colonic diverticular disease. The most common symptom is non-specific epigastric pain and a bloating sensation. Major complications include diverticulitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, acute perforation, pancreatic or biliary (in the case of duodenal diverticula) disease, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, localized abscess, malabsorption, anemia, volvulus and bacterial overgrowth. We describe the clinical case of a 65-year-old female patient with a diagnosis on hospital admittance of acute appendicitis and a intraoperative finding of diverticular disease of the small intestine, accompanied by complications such as intestinal perforation, bleeding and abdominal sepsis. This was surgically treated with intestinal resection and ileostomy and a subsequent re-intervention comprising perforation of the ileostomy and stomal remodeling. The patient remained hospitalized for approximately 1 month with antibiotics and local surgical wound healing, as well as changes in her diet with food supplements and metabolic control. She showed a favorable clinical evolution and was dismissed from the hospital to her home. We include here a discussion on trends in medical and surgical aspects as well as early handling or appropriate management to reduce the risk of fatal complications. © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.