Ictericia obstructiva intermitente o síndrome de Lemmel: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura.

Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 68 años con un cuadro de colangitis recurrente y presencia de divertículo duodenal que comprime la vía biliar. El síndrome de Lemmel es una afección infrecuente en la literatura, debido a que los divertículos duodenales rara vez presentan síntomas (10%) y en general se diagnostican de manera incidental. El 75% de estos divertículos son periampulares. Si se localizan a 2.5 cm del ámpula de Vater son yuxtapapilares. Solo el 1% presentan complicaciones. Debe ser considerado en caso de ictericia intermitente y colangitis, y tenerlo en cuenta como diagnóstico diferencial de pseudoquistes, tumor de cabeza de páncreas o metástasis.We present the case of a 68-year-old patient with recurrent cholangitis and the presence of a duodenal diverticulum that compresses the bile duct. Lemmel syndrome is a rare entity reported in the literature, because duodenal diverticula rarely have symptoms (10%) and are usually diagnosed incidentally, 75% of these diverticula are periampullary, if they are located within 2.5 cm from the Vater ampule are juxtapapillary. Only 1% present complications. It should be considered in case of intermittent jaundice, cholangitis, as a differential diagnosis of psuedocysts, pancreatic head tumor or metastases.

Lemmel's Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Obstructive Jaundice Secondary to Periampullary Diverticulum.

In 1934 Lemmel was the first to report the presence of juxtapapillary diverticula and hepatocholangiopancreatic disease, excluding cholelithiasis. Obstructive jaundice caused by periampullary duodenal diverticulum (PAD) in absence of choledocholithiasis or tumor is known as Lemmel syndrome. A patient with an extraluminal duodenal diverticulum presenting with obstructive jaundice and pancreatitis is presented in this case. Although initially managed conservatively, the patient had recurrence of symptoms after 2 months but then had successful surgical resection of the duodenal diverticulum. LEARNING POINTS: Lemmel's syndrome should be considered in patients with pancreaticobiliary disease in the absence of tumors, stricture, or cholelithiasis.Non-invasive imaging studies should be considered first but endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remains the diagnostic method of choice.Surgical resection (diverticulectomy), endoscopic sphincterotomy, and papillary balloon dilatation are treatment options when conservative management fails.

Cholestatic Jaundice Associated with Juxtapapillary Diverticula without Common Bile Duct Stones

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cholestatic jaundice caused by a juxtapapillary diverticulum can be treated by excision of the diverticula or endoscopic sphincterotomy(EST). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of EST for cholestatic jaundice in patient with juxtapapillary diverticulum with absence of common bile duct stones. METHODS: We recruited patients who underwent Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography(ERCP) between September 2000 and May 2005. The presence of Juxtapapillary diverticula was seen in 92(29.3%)) out of 315 patients underwent ERCP. Cholestatic jaundice associated with juxtapapillary diverticula was considered when patients have jaundice, elevated serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase more than normal, and there are no other obstructive lesion on abdominal ultrasonography or computed tomography(CT) scan. The number of the patients were 13 who had cholestatic jaundice associated with juxtapapillary diverticula without common bile duct stones. All 13 patients underwent EST and had no complications. The patients were followed up to visit outpatient department or interviewed on the telephone. RESULTS: Of the 13 patients, 10 were male and 3 were female. The mean age was 70.4 years and mean duration of follow-up were 28.9 months. All 13 patients who had gallbladder presented RUQ discomfort and jaundice. Seven patients presented gallstone pancreatitis with jaundice. Nine patients had GB stone, 1 patients had GB sludge. In the follow-up period, from 1month to 46 months after EST, 1 patient died of unknown cause within 1 year. One patient had recurred gall stone pancreatitis with jaundice 12 months later. CONCLUSIONS: EST can be considered as a useful therapeutic modality especially in eldery patients with cholestatic jaundice and gallstone pancreatitis associated with juxtapapillary diverticulum.