Ma. Rosing et S. Amory, PERFORATED ILEAL DIVERTICULITIS - AN ATYPICAL PRESENTATION WITH DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS BY LAPAROSCOPY, Surgical endoscopy, 9(5), 1995, pp. 522-524
An atypical presentation of ileal diverticulosis definitively diagnose
d and treated with laparoscopy is presented. While jejunoileal diverti
cula are often asymptomatic, they may lead to chronic or acute symptom
s. The large majority of complications secondary to small-bower divert
iculitis present with an acute abdomen similar to appendicitis but the
y also may appear with atypical symptoms. As a result, identification
of jejunoileal diverticulosis can be quite difficult and surgery is of
ten required in order to reach an absolute diagnosis. Surgical explora
tion, resection of the involved segment, and primary reanastamosis may
be indicated in instances of symptomatic diverticular disease of the
small bowel. Current laparoscopic techniques make this procedure well
suited for both diagnosis and treatment of jejunoileal diverticula. In
this report, the surgical incision was directed and limited under lap
aroscopic guidance while still allowing the benefit of thorough examin
ation of the abdominal contents.