PERFORATED ILEAL DIVERTICULITIS - AN ATYPICAL PRESENTATION WITH DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS BY LAPAROSCOPY

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.