Perforated Jejunal Diverticulitis: Surgical and Antibiotic Management.

Small bowel diverticulitis occurs at a rate of 0.06% to 1.3%, mainly in individuals over 50, peaking between ages 60 and 70. Duodenal diverticula are the most common (79% of cases), followed by jejunal or ileal diverticula (18%), and diverticula in all segments combined (3%). This condition typically presents with sporadic abdominal pain and vague gastrointestinal symptoms, making diagnosis difficult. We report an 80-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with sudden, left-sided abdominal pain and nausea due to perforated jejunal diverticulitis. Despite undergoing side-to-side jejunojejunostomy and incidental appendectomy, the patient rapidly declined and expired 45 hours post-operation due to septic shock. This case highlights the scarcity of literature on jejunal diverticulitis and its treatment guidelines.

Trends in Diverticular Disease Hospitalizations and Racial Disparities in Outcomes Across the United States.

Objective This study evaluated trends and racial disparities in hospitalization, clinical outcomes, and resource utilization for diverticular disease (DD) between 2017 and 2020. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis using the NIS database from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2020 to study hospitalizations for DD (CCSR code: DIG013). Our primary outcomes were hospitalization rates, all-cause mortality, total charges, and length of stay. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital complications and discharge status. Outcomes were stratified by race and ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islanders and Native Americans). Data were weighted and adjusted for clustering, stratification, and other relevant factors. The normality of the continuous data distribution was confirmed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and descriptive statistics were used to summarize variables. Demographic characteristics were compared using χ² and Student's t-test, with significance set at P<0.05. We used stepwise multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios for study outcomes by race and ethnicity, controlling for demographic and clinical factors and correcting for multicollinearity. Missing data were treated with multiple imputations, trend analyses were performed using Jonckheere-Terpstra tests, and costs were adjusted for inflation using the GDP price index. Analyses were conducted with Stata 17MP. Results A total of 1,266,539 hospitalizations for DD were included for analysis. Approximately 953,220 (75.3%) were White patients and 313,319 (24.7) did not belong to the White race. A total of 747,868 (59%) were women compared to 518,671 (41%) men. Compared to patients who were not of the White race, White patients were younger (63.5 vs. 66.8 years; p<0.001). Hospitalizations for DD increased by 1.2% from 323,764 to 327,770 hospitalizations (2017-2019) and decreased by 11.8% from 327,770 to 289,245 admissions in 2020. Mortality rates were higher among White patients than in those not of the White race (16,205 (1.7%) vs 5,013 (1.6%)). However, no significant difference was observed in mortality odds between both sets of patients (aOR, 0.953; 95% CI 0.881-1.032; P=0.237). Mortality rates showed an uptrend over the study period (4,850 (1.5%) in 2017 to 5,630 (1.9%) in 2020; Ptrend<0.001). DD accounted for 7,016,718 hospital days, 2,102,749 procedures, and US$ 6.8 billion in hospital costs. Mean hospital costs increased from US$54,705 to US$72,564 over the study period (P<0.000). Patients who were not of the White race incurred higher mean hospital charges than White patients ($67,635 ± $6,700 vs $59,103 ± $3,850; P<0.001). Black race correlated with lower odds of bowel perforation, routine home discharge, and bowel resection (P<0.001). Conclusion During the study period, hospitalization and mortality rates and resource utilization for DD increased. Patients from other races incurred higher hospital costs than White patients. White Americans were more likely to be discharged to skilled nursing, intermediate care, and other facilities. Additionally, White patients were less likely to develop bowel abscesses compared to patients who were not White. Compared to White American patients, Black patients had fewer DD hospitalizations complicated by bowel perforations or requiring bowel resections. In contrast, DD admissions among Hispanic patients were more likely to require bowel resections than those among White American patients.

A Case of Uncomplicated Duodenal Diverticulosis Presenting With Right Upper Abdominal Pain.

Small bowel diverticulosis is not a common disease entity; however, it is increasingly diagnosed and linked to various gastrointestinal complaints. Although rare, complications can occur and may sometimes require surgical or endoscopic intervention. Furthermore, suspecting and diagnosing duodenal diverticulosis (DD) can be challenging due to the variety of presenting signs and symptoms. Much of our current knowledge comes from case reports and series. This report aims to document a case of DD presenting with severe right upper quadrant pain mimicking the signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis. It also reviews and summarizes the available literature on the clinical manifestations of DD, its diagnostic approach, treatment modalities, and possible complications encountered in the ED.

Jejunal Diverticulosis: An Atypical Lead Point for Small Bowel Volvulus.

The occurrence of small intestinal diverticula is relatively infrequent compared to its counterpart in the large bowel. Duodenal diverticula exhibit a significantly higher prevalence within the small intestine compared to jejunoileal diverticula, with a ratio of five to one. The occurrence of jejunoileal diverticula exhibits considerable variability and has been documented to range from 0.5% to 2.3% in radiographic series, while autopsy studies have reported rates as high as 7%. We present the clinical details of a 65-year-old male patient who sought medical attention due to a constellation of symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and obstipation. After adequate resuscitation with IV fluids and preoperative preparation, the patient was transported to the operating room for an emergency exploratory laparotomy. Multiple jejunal diverticuli were identified in the proximal jejunum at the antimesenteric border, less than three feet from the duodenojejunal (DJ) junction. The terminal ileum was found to be 360° rotated counterclockwise around the small bowel mesentery, causing the small intestine to appear congested; however, after clockwise de-rotation, the small bowel regained its normal color. Adhesiolysis and small bowel decompression were performed, and the patient had an uneventful recovery.

Acute hypotensive hematochezia due to jejunal diverticular bleed.

Small bowel diverticulum, though rare, can result in complications including diverticulitis, hemorrhage, intussusception, fistula, perforation, or bacterial overgrowth. Here, we present a case of gastrointestinal bleeding as a complication of jejunal diverticulum, resulting in hemorrhagic shock. The patient had a negative endoscopy and colonoscopy, prompting computed tomography angiogram, which identified one jejunal diverticulum with active contrast extravasation into the lumen of the small bowel. She underwent successful coil embolization, resulting in cessation of bleeding. This case demonstrates the difficult but successful identification of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-induced jejunal diverticular bleeding in the acute emergent setting.

Recurrent small bowel obstruction secondary to jejunal diverticular enterolith: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel diverticulosis is an uncommon condition which is usually asymptomatic and is discovered incidentally. One rare complication is enteroliths forming in the diverticula causing bowel obstruction. Only a few cases of such have been described in literature, and recurrence from this aetiology has not been reported previously. This case report outlines the management of a 68-year-old male who presented with recurrent small bowel obstruction secondary to jejunal diverticular enterolith impaction, seven months following a previous episode. CASE SUMMARY: A 68-year-old male presented with symptoms of small bowel obstruction. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen demonstrated small bowel obstruction from an enterolith formed in one of his extensive jejunal diverticula. He required a laparotomy, an enterotomy proximal to the enterolith, removal of the enterolith, closure of the enterotomy, and resection of a segment of perforated ileum with stapled side-to-side anastomosis. Seven months later, he represented to emergency department with similar symptoms. Another CT scan of his abdomen revealed a recurrent small bowel obstruction secondary to enterolith impaction. He underwent another laparotomy in which it was evident that a large enterolith was impacted at the afferent limb of the previous small bowel anastomosis. A part of the anastomosis was excised to allow removal of the enterolith and the defect was closed with cutting linear stapler. In the following two years, the patient did not have a recurrent episode of enterolith-related bowel obstruction. CONCLUSION: The pathophysiology underlying enterolith formation is unclear, so it is difficult to predict if or when enteroliths may form and cause bowel obstruction. More research could provide advice to prevent recurrent enterolith formation and its sequelae.

Jejunal Diverticulitis: A Rare Diverticular Disease of the Bowel.

Diverticulosis is an out-pocketing of the bowel wall that can affect the small bowel through the large bowel. Small bowel diverticulosis is rare and not as common as colonic diverticulosis, which is an important diagnosis for hospitalizations. Moreover, jejunal diverticulosis is rare among cases of small bowel diverticulosis. Jejunal diverticulitis is one of the complications of jejunal diverticulosis that can be conservatively managed with antibiotics instead of surgery. We report a case of a 41-year-old African American man who presented with vague epigastric pain and was diagnosed with adhesive jejunal diverticulitis upon contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen. The patient did not develop any life-threatening complications such as perforation or peritonitis, and recovered after conservative management with antibiotics. Adhesive jejunal diverticulitis with fat stranding was the distinctive finding in our patient, as he might have had multiple asymptomatic episodes. Initial diagnostic modalities include radiography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Enteroclysis is the most reliable and accurate diagnostic modality, but is not available in all urgent settings. Recently, endoscopy has replaced radiological studies. Conservative management is adequate for uncomplicated cases of jejunal diverticulitis. However, surgical intervention is required in most cases of complicated jejunal diverticulosis, or mortality rates will be high.

Surgically Managed Perforated Jejunal Diverticulitis.

A 71-year-old male with a past medical history significant for chronic constipation presented to the emergency department for acute onset of severe abdominal pain. On presentation, the patient appeared to be in distress, exemplifying signs of peritonitis despite vital signs being grossly benign. CT scan established the diagnosis of a perforated jejunal diverticulitis. Initially, the patient was managed conservatively with IV fluids, antibiotics, and pain control medications. Diagnostic imaging in tandem with the patient's failure to improve incited surgical intervention with a jejunal resection and establishment of a primary anastomosis. This case illustrates additional differential diagnoses necessary for consideration in an elderly patient presenting with an acute abdomen.

Jejunal Diverticulosis Complicated by Diverticulitis and Small Bowel Obstruction.

Diverticular disease is common in the Western population and can cause considerable morbidity. The prevalence of colonic diverticulosis reaches 60% by the age of 60 years. Small bowel diverticulosis is much rarer and, when present, most commonly occurs in the duodenum. We herein report an elderly woman with jejunal diverticulosis complicated by diverticulitis and small bowel obstruction, who subsequently underwent small bowel resection and primary anastomosis. As demonstrated by this case, jejunal diverticulitis can cause serious complications and given the possibility of recurrence and serious complications, surgical options should be discussed early in the course of medical care.

Small Bowel Diverticulosis As a Cause of Chronic Pneumoperitoneum.

Pneumoperitoneum, or the accumulation of free air in the peritoneal cavity, is commonly associated with visceral perforation, mandating emergent surgical intervention. Non-surgical pneumoperitoneum, where visceral perforation is not the cause, does not commonly require surgical management. Chronic pneumoperitoneum secondary to small bowel diverticulosis is rare. Of all gastrointestinal diverticular diseases, jejunoileal diverticulosis is the rarest form. We describe a case of chronic pneumoperitoneum in an 83-year-old male presenting with intermittent abdominal distension and constipation over five years resulting in many presentations to his rural hospital. There were never any associated signs of sepsis such as fever or tachycardia. A computed tomography scan revealed large volume pneumoperitoneum without evidence of perforated viscera or free fluid. An elective diagnostic laparoscopy revealed extensive small bowel diverticular disease. One of the diverticuli exhibited pneumotosis intestinalis where bubbles of gas were noted within the diverticulum wall and mesentery in the local vicinity. Given the extent of the small bowel diverticular disease, the patient's advanced age, and relative lack of symptoms, bowel resection was not undertaken and the patient was managed conservatively. This article illustrates a case of chronic pneumoperitoneum due to small bowel diverticulosis. It highlights the differential diagnoses for chronic pneumoperitoneum, increases awareness of this rare and challenging condition, and portrays the utility of conservative management avoiding major surgery and its potential complications.

Small Bowel Diverticulosis: Pathogenesis, Clinical Management, and New Concepts.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Small bowel diverticulosis is a well-known clinical entity whose diagnosis and management has evolved in recent years. This review covers pathophysiology, incidence, and prevalence, and it also provides an update on modern diagnosis and management. Meckel's diverticula are covered elsewhere in this volume. RECENT FINDINGS: CT scan and MRI have largely supplanted barium follow-through for diagnosis. No intervention is needed in asymptomatic individuals. Endoscopic management is playing an increasing role for both bleeding and resection of intraduodenal diverticula, but surgical intervention remains the only definitive intervention for other complications like diverticulitis and small bowel obstruction. Small bowel diverticulosis is an uncommon condition which is associated with numerous possible complications. While endoscopy is playing an increasingly large role in management, surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for most complications. A high index of suspicion is needed in order to diagnose this entity.

Diagnostic conundrum: simultaneous gallstone ileus and a gas-filled inguinal hernia in a patient with lower abdominal pain.

Gallstone ileus and small bowel diverticulosis are uncommon pathologies. However, the simultaneous presentation of both in this patient provided a diagnostic puzzle for the surgical and radiological teams at our institution. The imaging also demonstrated several typical features for the pathologies in question. Ultimately the management of the patient was not compromised by the diagnostic dilemma, but the imaging findings represent a useful learning opportunity for all radiologists and general surgeons.

Perforated jejunal diverticula- a rare cause of acute abdominal pain: a case report.

Jejunal diverticula have a prevalence of approximately 1% in the general population. Perforation of jejunal diverticulum is a rare. Clinically this diagnosis may be easily confused with other causes of an acute abdomen. In the article, we discuss a 74-year-old man with a 2-day history of constipation and left-sided abdominal pain. The day before admission he developed an abrupt exacerbation his symptoms with pain localized to periumbilical and left lower quadrant. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed soft tissue stranding within the left upper quadrant, bilateral plural effusions , larger on the left, an opacity with the right and left pulmonary lobes and polypoid lesion with in stomach. Physical examination revealed left upper quadrant fullness. An emergency laparotomy was carried out. This revealed multiple jejunal diverticula, one of which had perforated 40 centimeters distal to the ligament of Treitz.