Surgery Today

, Volume 36, Issue 11, pp 1003–1006 | Cite as

Enterolith Small-Bowel Obstruction Caused by Jejunal Diverticulosis: Report of a Case

  • Eleni I. Efremidou
  • Nikolaos Liratzopoulos
  • Michalis S. Papageorgiou
  • George Kouklakis
  • Georgios J. Minopoulos
  • Konstantinos J. Manolas
Article

Abstract

We report the successful surgical treatment of intestinal obstruction caused by enteroliths formed in jejunal diverticula. A 78-year-old man with bowel obstruction of unknown etiology was initially managed conservatively, but suffered recurrence of the obstruction. Thus, we performed a laparotomy, which revealed multiple diverticula in the jejunum, with one enterolith inside a diverticulum and one enterolith in the terminal ileum. There was no abnormal communication between the gallbladder and the intestinal tract, excluding the possibility of a gallstone ileus. The stone in the terminal ileum could not be broken manually, so we performed an enterotomy to remove the stones. Intestinal obstruction caused by enteroliths in small-bowel diverticula is a rare event, which is difficult to diagnose and manage. To our knowledge, only 35 such cases have ever been reported.

Key words

Enterolith Jejunal diverticula Small-bowel obstruction 

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    Evers, MB 2004Small intestineTownsend, CMBeauchamp, DREvers, MBMattox, KL eds. Sabiston textbook of surgery: the biological basis of modern surgical practice17th edElsevier SaundersPhiladelphia132380Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Harris, LM, Volpe, CM, Doerr, RJ 1997Small bowel obstruction secondary to enterolith impaction complicating jejunal diverticulitisAm J Gastroenterol92153840PubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. 3.
    Longo, WE, Vernava, AM,3rd 1992Clinical implications of jejunoileal diverticular diseaseDis Colon Rectum353818PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. 4.
    Hayee, B, Khan, HN, Al-Mishlab, T, McPartlin, J 2003A case of enterolith small bowel obstruction and jejunal diverticulosisWorld J Gastroenterol98834PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Shocket E, Simon SA. Small bowel obstruction due to enterolith (bezoar) formed in a duodenal diverticulum: a case report and review of the literature. Am J Gastroenterol 1982;77(9):621–4Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Yang, HK, Fondacaro, PF 1992Enterolith ileus: a rare complication of duodenal diverticulaAm J Gastroenterol8718468PubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    Bowley, D, Royle, CA 1997Enterolith ileus as a complication of small bowel diverticulosisJ R Army Med Corps143169PubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. 8.
    Bruni, R, Chirco, L, Lemeni, AR, Petrocca, S 2002Intermittent small bowel obstruction by jejunal enteroliths in a patient with a Crohn's disease strictureChir Ital549035PubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. 9.
    Lopez PV, Welch JP. Enterolith intestinal obstruction owing to acquired and congenital diverticulosis. Report of two cases and review of the literature. Dis Colon Rectum 1991;34(10):941–4Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    Klingler PJ, Seelig MH, Floch NR, Branton SA, Metzger PP. Small-intestinal enteroliths unusual cause of small-intestinal obstruction: report of three cases. Dis Colon Rectum 1999;42(5):676–9Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Steenvoorde P, Schaardenburgh P, Viersma JH. Enterolith ileus as a complication of jejunal diverticulosis: two case reports and a review of the literature. Dig Surg 2003;20(1):57–60Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    Govindan, VK, Balashanmugam,  2002Acute intestinal obstruction due to solitary jejunal diverticulumIndian J Gastroenterol21204PubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Fronticelli CM, Bellora P, Ferrero A, Anselmetti GC, Passarino G, Burlo P. Complicated jejunal diverticulosis: report of a case. Surg Today 1996;26(3):192–5Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Yagmur Y, Aldemir M, Buyukbayram H, Tacyildiz I. Multiple jejunal diverticulitis with perforation in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: report of a case. Surg Today 2004;34(2):163–6Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Tokyo 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  • Eleni I. Efremidou
    • 1
  • Nikolaos Liratzopoulos
    • 1
  • Michalis S. Papageorgiou
    • 1
  • George Kouklakis
    • 1
  • Georgios J. Minopoulos
    • 1
  • Konstantinos J. Manolas
    • 1
  1. 1.First Department of SurgeryUniversity General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Medical School of Democritus, University of ThraceAlexandroupolisGreece

Personalised recommendations