title: Giant bladder diverticulum.
abstract: We present the case of a 73-year-old man affected by progressive and painful abdominal distension and paresthesia/hypoesthesia at the left leg. US and CT-scan revealed the presence in the left retroperitoneum of a large cystic mass without parietal thickening or enhancement after contrast injection. This mass disappeared after positioning a vesical Foley's catheter and a retrograde cystography confirmed the suspected diagnosis of a large bladder diverticulum due to a severe prostatic hypertrophy; the patient underwent an open diverticulectomy and endoscopic prostatic resection. Bladder diverticula can occasionally appear as complex pelvic masses not obviously connected to the bladder, eventually leading to diagnostic confusion; while small size diverticulum resolves with relief of bladder outlet obstruction, open or laparoscopic diverticulectomy is needed in large size diverticulum if symptomatic, even considering the possible tumor harboring.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Surgery, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Catholic University, Largo A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio Pio
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Tortorelli
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfieri
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Doglietto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005705:Gallbladder Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography