Extensive Small Bowel Diverticulosis Incidentally Discovered During Surgery for Small Bowel Volvulus

Small bowel diverticulosis is a rare condition that is often asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. We present a case of extensive small bowel diverticulosis in a woman in her early 90s who was found to have numerous large diverticula during surgery for small bowel volvulus secondary to an adhesive band, requiring segmental small bowel resection. Although the diverticulosis was an incidental finding and was unlikely to have caused the volvulus and subsequent bowel ischemia, small bowel diverticulosis can present with serious complications. Its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. This case highlights the importance of considering small bowel diverticulosis in elderly patients presenting with nonspecific abdominal symptoms or bowel obstruction, as the condition may not be apparent on imaging and may only be identified intraoperatively.