Intestinal motility in small bowel diverticulosis - A case report and review of the literature

Small bowel diverticulosis is a rare disease that is usually associated wit h recurrent pseudo-obstruction, bacterial overgrowth, and malabsorption. Th e more severe complications include hemorrhage and perforation. There is ev idence to suggest that this entity is a result of small bowel motor dysfunc tion. For this reason, it has been associated with disorders in which a myo pathic or neuropathic process is involved, such as scleroderma. The majorit y of patients with jejunal diverticulosis do not require surgery and can be managed medically. We report a case of jejunal diverticulosis in a 63-year -old gentleman who presented with symptoms of pseudo-obstruction. Ambulator y duodenojejunal manometry revealed several abnormalities suggestive of sma ll bowel motor dysfunction. Enteroclysis, however, did not find evidence of mechanical obstruction, and the patient had marked improvement with cisapr ide and antibiotics.