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Left sided diverticulitis presenting as a right lumbar fistula: a case report
Barnabas Rigden Green1, Vickram Joypaul
1Department of General Surgery, South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust Harton Lane, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE34 0PL UK. barnabas@rigdengreen.com
Cases Journal
|November 18, 2009
Summary
Diverticulitis can cause fistulae, a complication detailed in this case report. A right psoas abscess with a colocutaneous fistula resulted from sigmoid diverticulitis, emphasizing imaging and suspicion for lumbar abscesses.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Diverticulitis is a common condition with known complications.
- Fistula formation is a recognized, albeit infrequent, complication of diverticulitis.
Observation:
- This case report details a patient with sigmoid diverticulitis.
- The diverticulitis presented atypically as a right psoas abscess.
- A colocutaneous fistula was identified as the source of the abscess.
Findings:
- Sigmoid diverticulitis can manifest with a contralateral psoas abscess.
- Colocutaneous fistulae are a potential sequela of diverticulitis.
- The diagnosis was confirmed through imaging and clinical presentation.
Implications:
- A high index of suspicion is crucial for diagnosing unusual presentations of diverticulitis.
- Appropriate imaging modalities are essential for identifying the source of intra-abdominal infections.
- This case underscores the importance of considering intra-abdominal pathology in patients with lumbar abscesses.
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