An unusual case of small bowel obstruction due to an enterolith in the terminal ileum, associated with Jejunal Diverticulae: A case report

Abstract

Small bowel diverticulosis is rare; consequent diverticulitis and enterolith formation are even more rare complications. Our case is of an 82-year-old lady whose background includes large bowel diverticular disease presenting with abdominal pain and vomiting. After investigation it an enterolith which developed due to small bowel diverticulosis resulting in small bowel obstruction was found. She was managed by surgical removal of the enterolith and side-to-side anastomosis.Jejunal diverticulosis (JD) has incidence of 0.07% to 2% (4.6% on autopsies), often occurring in older adult populations with 80-90% of cases appearing in those greater than 40, and its cause is unknown. This case report highlights two rare presentations, small bowel diverticulosis and the subsequent small bowel obstruction (SBO) secondary to enterolith formation. It is important to reflect on such cases due to increased prevalence of jejunal diverticulosis and its possible contribution to SBO and due to lack of research on it.