[Gastrointestinal bleeding and ascending biliary infection secondary to duodenal diverticulum]

We describe a 77-year-old man with recurrent upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding and ascending biliary infection secondary to a duodenal diverticulum. Although such diverticula are relatively common, the great majority are asymptomatic and are only discovered incidentally. Only 1% manifest clinically, usually secondary to a variety of complications such as bleeding, perforation, ascending biliary infection or pancreatitis. Most often the diagnosis is made by exclusion, which accounts for the usual delay in starting treatment. When present, one must consider the possibility that the duodenal diverticulum may be responsible for the patient's symptoms. The preferred approach to a bleeding diverticulum is complete excision, while bypassing the diverticulum by Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy is the operation of choice for pancreaticobiliary complications.