Jejunal Diverticulosis

A Clinical Study of 87 Cases

ROY H. BASKIN, JR.

CHARLES W. MAYO

NONMECKELIAN diverticulum of the small intestine, long considered a

rarity, has become an increasingly frequent diagnosis in recent years
and has enjoyed a concomitant rise in favor as a subject for medical
papers as the realization has become more widespread that it ~is not,
after all, exceedingly uncommon. The rapidly lengthening bibliography
has served the purpo~e of disseminating a clearer idea as to the clinical
significance of this condition, and as is always the case when interest is
stimulated, has increased the accuracy of diagnosis.
The experience with this condition at the Clinic prior to 1943 has
been summarized by Rankin and Martin and by Benson, Dixon and
Waugh, and our purpose in this present communication is to bring
this information up to date with the study of those cases in which the
diagnosis was made from the roentgenogram or at laparotomy in the
nine-year period from 1943 through 1951. We have made no attempt to
assemble data on those cases encountered at necropsy, which during
the previous period were found to be about five times as numerous as
those cases in which the condition was found at roentgenologic examina-
tion only and about four times as numerous as those seen at exploration.
We have taken the liberty of including a few cases of nonmeckelian
diverticula of the ileum and also of including some cases of solitary
diverticulum under this title.
We must apologize beforehand for repeating here much of what may
readily be found elsewhere, but for completeness' sake we are of the
opinion 'that a minimal discussion of some of the pertinent facts should
be included in a paper of this scope.

HISTORICAL NOTE
A detailed review of the historical aspects of this subject would be
redundant, as this may be found in many other papers on this condi-
tion.!, 6, 6, 9 Chomel has been generally credited with describing the
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