Diverticular disease of the small bowel: report of 27 cases

Diverticula of the small bowel are usually asymptomatic but occasionally can present with serious complications. Because of the rarity of small bowel diverticulosis and the limited case number in most published reports, we analyzed one of the largest series with symptomatic small bowel diverticular disease. In this retrospective review, we studied 27 symptomatic patients with diverticula of the small bowel that was treated surgically. The study included 13 male and 14 female patients (age range, 30-87 years; mean age, 69.3 years). Fourteen patients underwent an elective operation for chronic refractory symptoms. Thirteen patients underwent emergency surgery because of rupture of the diverticula and associated peritonitis, diverticulitis and small bowel obstruction, or lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Surgical treatment consisted of resection of the intestinal segment containing the diverticula. All patients were symptom-free postoperatively and no "short bowel" problems developed. Abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and bowel obstruction were the most common clinical symptoms. Small bowel diverticulosis should be treated surgically only when refractory symptoms or severe complications are present.