Acquired diverticulosis of the small intestine: case reports and literature review

Eleven cases of small bowel diverticulosis are discussed. Four patients presented with perforation, five with other symptoms attributable to this condition and in two patients diverticulosis was considered an incidental finding. A review of the literature suggests that small bowel diverticulosis may be: present in up to 1.3% of the population; associated with symptoms in approximately 50% of patients, and associated with acute surgical complications in 10% of patients. This may be a disorder of intestinal motility associated with colonic diverticulosis and related to other disorders of smooth muscle and myenteric plexus. Small bowel diverticulosis should not be regarded as a rare, incidental and inconsequential finding.