Giant duodenal diverticulum masquerading as a sealed perforation

Abstract

Giant duodenal diverticula are large outpouchings involving all layers of the duodenal wall. Whilst often an incidental finding, giant duodenal diverticula can present with diverticulitis or biliary obstruction. We report a case of a giant duodenal diverticulum that was initially misdiagnosed as a localised duodenal perforation on CT. Additional ultrasound and fluoroscopic imaging demonstrated the final diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. The clinical course of this patient highlights the challenge of recognising a giant duodenal diverticulum and the limitations of solely relying on CT in the context of an acute abdominal presentation.