Fe. Klee et al., SEVERE ABDOMINAL-PAIN AND THROMBOCYTOPENIA - TYPICAL SYMPTOMS OF OCCULT JEJUNAL DIVERTICULUM PERFORATION, Journal of gastroenterology, 32(2), 1997, pp. 246-250
Complicated small-bowel diverticula cause abdominal pain, gastrointest
inal hemorrhage, small-bowel obstruction, and peritonitis. The present
patient, had an occult perforation of a small-bowel diverticulum. The
re were diverticula throughout the whole small bowel. Preoperatively t
hrombocytopenia (98000 thrombocytes/cc), was noted. Without any specia
l treatment, i.e., transfusion, the thrombocyte level increased after
surgical treatment to normal levels, Although the incidence of small-b
owel diverticula appears to be low (0.1%-2.3%), complications may beco
me life-threatening. The level of thrombocytopenia may reflect the ext
ent of inflammation.