A Case of Obstruction Due to a Giant Diverticulum in the Sigmoid Colon

Abstract

The case was a 65-year-old man. He was scheduled to undergo lower gastrointestinal endoscopy to conduct a detailed examination after fecal occult blood test results were positive. However, the patient complained of abdominal pain and distension on the day of the endoscopy. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen indicated a change in caliber at the sigmoid colon. We suspected intestinal obstruction because of a stool mass and attempted to relieve the intestinal obstruction using an endoscope. However, his abdominal pain worsened during the endoscopic procedure and we had to perform emergency surgery. Intraoperative findings revealed a huge diverticulum. A stool mass had accumulated in the same area, thus causing the intestinal obstruction. We performed laparoscopic Hartmann's procedure and the stoma was closed 3 weeks after the surgery. We report this rare case along with a review of the literature.