Conservative management of complex diverticular disease causing a retroperitoneal perforation
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Debridement and Drainage for Pancreatic Abscess
Published on: March 15, 2024
Jonathan Richard Rees1, Phillip Burgess
1Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Colorectal Surgery, Great Western Road, Gloucester GL1 3NN, UK.
Abstract:
Diverticular disease is very common and may cause symptoms of psoas irritation because of contiguous inflammation arising from the colon affecting the retroperitoneum. Retroperitoneal perforation is rare and is marked by free gas in the adjacent musculature. Rarely infection and associated gas may track into the lower limbs; however, if adequate drainage can be achieved, surgery in the unfit may be avoided. We present a case of a 79-year-old woman with retroperitoneal perforation of diverticular disease presenting with free gas in the leg musculature that was managed conservatively because of associated comorbidities and was associated with the formation of a cutaneous faecal fistula in the lower limb.
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