Jejunal diverticulitis ascending to the duodenum as a rare cause of acute abdomen

Left side jejunal diverticulitis: US and CT imaging findings

Small bowel jejunoileal diverticulosis is an uncommon and usually asymptomatic condition. Complications may occur such as acute diverticulitis including infection or perforation, bleeding, small bowel obstruction and volvulus. Herein we report a case of a 76 years-old woman with acute left side abdominal pain and tenderness. A clinical suspected diagnosis of colonic diverticulitis was formulated. She underwent Ultrasound that revealed a collapsed small bowel loop with a large sac-like out-pouching lesion with mixed content (fluid and pockets of air) associated to hyperechogenicity of perilesional fat. Because of the atypical US findings, the patient underwent abdominopelvic CT that confirmed that the large sac-like out-pouching was a jejunal inflamed diverticulum. The patient underwent emergency surgery. Radiologist should be aware of imaging findings of jejunoileal diverticulitis in order to achieve a prompt diagnosis.

Whole jejunoileal diverticulosis with recurrent inflammation and perforation: A case report

Introduction

Jejunoileal diverticulitis is uncommon and poorly understood. We report a case of whole jejunoileal diverticulosis with recurrent inflammation and perforation.

Case presentation

A 72-year-old man with hemodialysis presented with fever and abdominal pain. The patient had a medical history of twice having jejunoileal diverticulitis. Serum testing indicated a white blood cell count of 15,670/μL and a C-reactive protein level of 10.31 mg/dL. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed jejunoileal diverticulosis with the concomitant mesenteric fat opacity and a 60-mm × 45-mm mass lesion containing extraluminal air bubbles. Jejunoileal partial resection was performed. Multiple diverticulosis was recognized over the entire jejunoileum, and the pouches existed along entry points of the bowel vascular supply through the mesentery. Intestinal resection was limited to the intestinal loop associated with complicated diverticulitis with abscess. Macroscopic examination revealed multiple jejunoileal diverticulosis. In the reddened mucosa, the diverticulitis and mesenteric perforation were recognized. Microscopic examination showed protrusion of mucosal and submucosal layers through a defect in the muscular layer with gangrenous inflammation. These findings supported a diagnosis of jejunoileal diverticulitis with perforation and abscess. The patient had no postoperative complications and no recurrence within 6 months.

Discussion

Treatment for jejunoileal diverticulitis should be individualized for each patient according to their degree of inflammation, recurrence, and the patient's background.

Conclusion

Extensive diverticulosis over the entire jejunoileum is very rare. In this case, the section of the inflamed diverticulosis can be distinguished and resected to avoid a short-bowel syndrome, which should lead to an uneventful postoperative course.

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Jejunoileal diverticulitis is uncommon in clinical practice and poorly understood.

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Multiple diverticula were recognized over the entire jejunoileum in our case.

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Treatment for jejunoileal diverticulitis should be individualized for each patient.

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The section involving only the inflamed diverticulosis should be resected to avoid a short-bowel.

Perforated jejunal diverticulitis: a rare but important differential in the acute abdomen

BACKGROUND

Diverticulosis of the small bowel is rare and, in most cases, discovered incidentally. However, diverticulitis and other complications are important to consider in the differential of an acute abdomen, especially in the elderly population.

CASE PRESENTATION

The patient was a 59-year-old female who presented with acute lower abdominal pain progressing to peritonitis. Computed tomography scan showed a large inflamed and perforated diverticulum on the mesenteric side of the jejunum. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a dilated proximal jejunum with a 5-cm inflamed and perforated mesenteric diverticulum. A small bowel resection with primary anastomosis was performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Jejunal diverticulitis remains a diagnostic challenge. Although uncommon, owing to its high mortality rate, it is an important clinical entity to consider and requires timely management.