Malabsorption in jejunal diverticulosis treated with resection of the diverticula

Patients with jejunal diverticula usually are asymptomatic unless bacterial overgrowth within the diverticula is sufficient to cause vitamin B12 deficiency, by direct uptake of the vitamin by the bacteria, or malabsorption resulting from bacterial deconjugation of bile salts and impaired lipid digestion. The administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics usually constitutes effective treatment that suppresses bacterial flora, with surgery reserved for complications such as hemorrhage, perforation, and abscess formation, and acute or chronic intestinal obstruction. Our patient had many diverticula, and two courses of antibiotics failed to provide prolonged relief of symptoms. After surgical exploration to exclude the presence of partial intestinal obstruction or infiltrating disease of the terminal ileum, the segment of jejunum bearing diverticula was resected. Since operation the patient has remained asymptomatic, which suggests that in certain patients, even with many diverticula, surgical exploration and excision of the diverticula may be curative.