[Acute diverticulitis of the jejunum. A rarely diagnosed cause of peritonitis]

Abstract

A 77 year old man was treated for duodenal ulcer and obstipation for 2 years; the diagnosis was not confirmed by endoscopy. Because of recurrent and increasing abdominal pain the patient was admitted to hospital as recurrent duodenal ulcer; this was excluded by emergency endoscopy. At laparotomy a sealed-off perforation of an inflamed jejunal diverticulum was identified complicating the jejunal diverticulosis. The entire jejunal segment involved by diverticulosis was removed. The patient made an uneventful recovery and is well 15 months after surgery. Jejunal diverticulosis may be associated with a variety of complications; it should be considered, especially in the elderly patient, with recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms of obscure origin.