Volvulus complicating jejunal diverticulosis: A case report.
BACKGROUND
Diverticular disease is uncommon among Africans though increasing number of cases is now being reported, mainly of colonic diverticulosis. This condition afflicts all parts of the gastrointestinal tract but commonly the colon. Jejunal diverticula are rare, usually asymptomatic but may lead to an acute abdomen.


METHODS
A 68 year old female trader, who was referred from a peripheral center with insidious onset of severe colicky, generalized abdominal pain, repeated vomiting of recently ingested meal, no hematemesis. There was constipation and abdominal distension. The working diagnosis was dynamic intestinal obstruction of small bowel origin. She had emergency exploratory laparotomy following resuscitation. The findings were: volvulus of the jejunum and multiple jejunal diverticula. A resection of 80cm of the jejunum with most of the diverticula involved in the torsion was done with an end-to-end anastomosis of the jejunum. Her out-patient follow-up has been uneventful.


CONCLUSIONS
Jejunal diverticular disease is rare in Africa. Our patient presented with small bowel obstruction due to volvulus. Other complications are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Intestinal obstruction from diverticular disease is not always of colonic origin. It can occur in the jejunum.
Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Rivers State, Nigeria. Electronic address: igwe_patrick@yahoo.com.
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Igwe
Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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Ray-Offor
Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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Allison
Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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Alufohai
Diverticula; Jejunum; Volvulus