title: Kayexalate Intake (in Sorbitol) and Jejunal Diverticulitis, a Causative Role or an Innocent Bystander?
abstract: Small intestine diverticulosis is a rare entity that is asymptomatic in the majority of cases. However, it may cause serious complications, such as infection, hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction and diverticulitis. Kayexalate (sodium polystyrene sulfonate) in sorbitol has been associated with colonic necrosis and less frequently with upper gastrointestinal injuries in a subset of uremic patients treated for hyperkalemia. We report a case of jejunal diverticulosis with mucosal injury and diverticulitis in a uremic patient treated with Kayexalate and discuss the potential role of Kayexalate in the pathogenesis of diverticulitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pusztaszeri
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seelentag