Zenker's diverticulitis: a bitter pill to swallow.

Acute oesophageal obstruction from food bolus impaction is often triggered by underlying oesophageal pathology, both benign and malignant. These can be readily detected with standard investigations such as oesophagoscopy or computed tomography. Zenker's diverticulum (ZD) is a benign condition frequently presenting with chronic dysphagia or may be asymptomatic. We report the case of an 81-year-old man with a previously undiagnosed 1-cm ZD causing complete oesophageal obstruction secondary to localized oedema from an impacted ibuprofen tablet. Although initial clinical, endoscopic and radiological findings were equivocal and suspicious for upper oesophageal malignancy, symptoms rapidly settled in response to systemic corticosteroids. The diagnosis was later confirmed on barium swallow with no other clinical, radiological or histopathological abnormalities identified. In conclusion, ZD is an uncommon cause of acute oesophageal obstruction which may occur in diverticula of all sizes. Surgery should be performed in patients with recurrent symptoms or large diverticula.

Entero-enteric fistula from the stump of an end-to-side ileocolic anastomosis mimicking cancer recurrence.

Enteric fistulae are a complex and technically frustrating complication of any bowel surgery. The constellation of associated non-specific symptoms often leads to extensive investigation and, in this case, suspicion of disease recurrence. A 71-year-old gentleman with a history of previous colorectal cancer presented with chronic diarrhoea, weight loss and left lower quadrant pain. Elective exploratory laparoscopy was performed to investigate possible disease recurrence due to elevated carcinoembryonic antigen levels and a positron emission tomography positive area within the mesentery. A jejunal-ileal fistula was found at laparotomy where the blind ileal stump of the end-to-side ileocolic anastomosis had fistulated into the jejunum. Resection of the affected jejunum was performed with end-to-end jejuno-jejunal re-anastomosis and stapling of the ileal stump. Specimen histology was negative for recurrence. Intestinal fistulae represent a diagnostic challenge. This is the first case report describing an enteric fistula mimicking cancer recurrence.