A perforated jejunal diverticulum
Jaimini Cegla, Puja Chudasama, Tushar Agarwal and Shahid Chaudhary
Department of Surgery, The Hillingdon Hospital, Pield Heath Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3NN, UK
Corresponding address:
Dr Jaimini Cegla,
27 Rushdene Road,
Eastcote,
Pinner,
Middlesex,
HA5 1SW, UK.
E-mail: jaiminicegla@doctors.org.uk
A 65-year-old lady presented with a 5-day history of watery diarrhoea and right-sided abdominal
pain. Overnight she developed localised peritonitis in the left iliac fossa. An abdominal computed
tomography scan revealed free fluid in the abdominal cavity, free air in the retroperitoneum
and a small bowel perforation. An emergency laparotomy was carried out which revealed
multiple jejunal diverticula, one of which had perforated. Jejunal diverticula have a prevalence
of approximately 1% in the general population. Perforation of a jejunal diverticulum is a rare
complication. Clinically, this diagnosis may be easily confused with other causes of an acute
abdomen. In an elderly person, especially if known to have jejunal diverticulosis, one must have
a high index of suspicion for perforation.
Key words
Small bowel diverticulosis; jejunal diverticulum; diverticular perforation; acute abdomen.
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