Small Bowel Diverticula: Usefulness of the Computed Tomography in a Non-Specific Clinical Presentation

In the majority of cases small bowel diverticula are asymptomatic. As a result, the diagnosis is frequently incidentally made either by radiographic examination or upon laparotomy due to complications. Enteroclysis, Tc-99m scintigraphy, video capsule and double balloon enteroscopy are useful diagnosing small bowel disorders, but their utility in emergency situations is limited. The clinical data from three consecutive patients surgically treated in our hospital for acute complications related to small bowel diverticula were retrospectively analyzed. Small Bowel Diverticula are a rare pathology and the clinical presentation is usually non-specific, even with acute or chronic complications. Some diagnostic examinations such as X-ray and ultrasound scan could not be useful to verify the existence of the pathology even in acute presentation but, in our experience, the computed tomography of the abdomen is the most helpful examination in localizing the disease and guiding the appropriate approach even when it doesn't suspect a definite diagnosis. CT findings are able to bring to a correct pre operative evaluation in presence of intestinal perforation, necessary to plan patient management