[Diverticulosis of the small intestine. Observations on a complicated case]

Small bowel diverticula, particularly the jejunal ones, are a rare disease with a poor and vague symptomatology. Sometimes detected by change under X-ray examinations or at surgery, they do not need any surgical treatment: only clinical and X-ray controls are required. Prophylactic resection of symptomatic low jejunal diverticula is controversial: patient's age and status will affect the indication to surgical treatment. Jejunal diverticulosis may generate serious, though not dramatic, symptoms: intestinal obstruction, inflammatory complications, haemorrhage, perforation of the diverticula are the most frequent emergencies which require an immediate surgical procedure. A clinical case is here reported.