Duodenal Diverticulum Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment on MedicineNet.com

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Duodenal Diverticulum (cont.)

What is a duodenal diverticulum?
What causes a duodenal diverticulum?
What complications are caused by a duodenal diverticulum?
How is a duodenal diverticulum diagnosed?
How is a duodenal diverticulum treated?
What about intramural diverticula?
Duodenal Diverticulum Glossary
Duodenal Diverticulum Index
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What complications are caused by a duodenal diverticulum?

Extramural diverticula usually cause no symptoms. Occasionally, they may rupture (just like colonic diverticula) and lead to a pocket of inflammation adjacent to the duodenum with or without infection. This may result in all the signs and symptoms of intra-abdominal inflammation pain, fever, and abdominal tenderness.

If the diverticulum is very close to the Ampulla of Vater, patients more frequently develop gallstones, particularly in the bile ducts, and may develop all the complications of gallstones:

biliary colic (the typical pain of obstruction of the bile ducts),
cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), and
cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts due to the spread of bacteria into the ducts from the duodenum).

Pancreatitis also may occur. These complications are believed to be due to interference by the diverticula with the normal function of the bile and pancreatic ducts.

How is a duodenal diverticulum diagnosed?

Extramural duodenal diverticula are most commonly diagnosed by barium x-rays of the upper gastrointestinal tract. They also may be diagnosed at the time of endoscopy or, less frequently, with ultrasonography. Finally, they also may show up by chance in computerized tomographic scans (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the abdomen.

Next: How is a duodenal diverticulum treated? »

Important Safety Information

KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.

Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.

The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.

Uses of KAPIDEX

Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4�8 weeks.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.

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