Severe abdominal pain and thrombocytopenia--typical symptoms of occult jejunal diverticulum perforation?
Complicated small-bowel diverticula cause abdominal pain, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, small-bowel obstruction, and peritonitis. The present patient, had an occult perforation of a small-bowel diverticulum. There were diverticula throughout the whole small bowel. Preoperatively thrombocytopenia (98,000 thrombocytes/cc), was noted. Without any special treatment, i.e., transfusion, the thrombocyte level increased after surgical treatment to normal levels. Although the incidence of small-bowel diverticula appears to be low (0.1%-2.3%) complications may become life-threatening. The level of thrombocytopenia may reflect the extent of inflammation.
Klee
F E
FE
Department of Surgery, Salem Medical Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
Osswald
B R
BR
Wysocki
S
S
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004238:Diverticulitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D007579:Jejunal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology*