Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 7, 2014; 20(37): 13620-13624
Published online Oct 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i37.13620
Active gastrointestinal diverticulum bleeding diagnosed by computed tomography angiography
Xie-Qun Xu, Tao Hong, Bing-Lu Li, Wei Liu
Xie-Qun Xu, Tao Hong, Bing-Lu Li, Wei Liu, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
Author contributions: Xu XQ and Liu W designed the report; Xu XQ, Hong T, Li BL and Liu W were the attending doctors for these patients; Xu XQ, Hong T and Li BL performed the surgical operations; Xu XQ and Liu W organized the report; Xu XQ wrote paper.
Correspondence to: Wei Liu, MD, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 9 Dong Dan San Tiao, Beijing 100730, China. xiequnxu@gmail.com
Telephone: +86-10-69152610 Fax: +86-10-69152610
Received: April 14, 2014
Revised: May 29, 2014
Accepted: June 25, 2014
Published online: October 7, 2014
Processing time: 175 Days and 21.1 Hours
Abstract

A diverticulum is a bulging sack in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Small intestine diverticular disease is much less common than colonic diverticular disease. The most common symptoms include non-specific epigastric pain and a bloating sensation. Major complications include diverticulitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, acute perforation, intestinal obstruction, intestinal perforation, localized abscess, malabsorption, anemia, volvulus and bacterial overgrowth. We report one case of massive jejunal diverticula bleeding and one case of massive colonic diverticula bleeding, both diagnosed by acute abdominal computed tomography angiography and treated successfully by surgery.

Keywords: Diverticulum; Gastrointestinal diverticular bleeding; Angiography; Computed tomography angiography; Endoscopy

Core tip: Gastrointestinal diverticular disease is common and asymptomatic in most cases; however, massive gastrointestinal bleeding caused by diverticular disease is rare. This article describes the diagnosis and management of these diseases through acute abdominal computed tomography angiography.