Small intestinal diverticulum with bleeding: Case report and literature review

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Small intestinal diverticulum is a significant cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGB).
• Diagnosis is challenging due to non-specific symptoms and limitations of traditional barium meal and angiographic methods.
• It is a notable cause of OGB in adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe clinical features of patients with small intestinal diverticulum and bleeding.
• To analyze literature on clinical characteristics, pathology, and diagnostic methods.
• To highlight diagnostic challenges and effective modalities for OGB.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 19 patients with small intestinal diverticulum and bleeding (January 2010 - December 2016).
• Exclusion of patients on anticoagulants.
• Literature review on clinical features, pathology, and diagnostic choices.

Main Results:

• Small intestinal diverticulum with bleeding is a common yet difficult-to-detect cause of OGB.
• Standard endoscopic and angiographic methods often yield negative results.
• Patients presenting with recurrent bleeding require further investigation.

Conclusions:

• Small intestinal diverticulum is a key differential for OGB.
• Endoscopy of the small intestine and contrast-enhanced computed tomography enterography (CTE) are valuable diagnostic tools.
• These advanced methods are crucial for patients with negative upper and lower endoscopy results.