Lemmel Syndrome, A Rare Cause of Jaundice: Ca...

Lemmel Syndrome, A Rare Cause of Jaundice: Case Report

Author Name : Carlos Enrique Alvarado-Muñoz, Alejandro Steen Iturbide-Aguirre, Andrea Izquierdo-Medina, Alejandro Martínez-Bello

ABSTRACT

Lemmel syndrome is a rare cause of jaundice. It consists of obstructive jaundice due to compression of a periampullary duodenal diverticulum in the absence of choledocholithiasis or tumor. Duodenal diverticulum is composed of herniations of the duodenal mucosa, which lack a muscular layer and are located within a radius of 2 to 3 cm from the ampulla of Vater. Most patients with a duodenal diverticulum are asymptomatic and are diagnosed by endoscopic or imaging studies. Patients present with jaundice at the expense of direct biliribuna, in addition to acute abdominal pain or cholangitis. In this article we present the case of a 68-year-old woman diagnosed with cholangitis secondary to a periampullary duodenal diverticulum.

Keywords: Lemmel syndrome, cholangitis, jaundice, case report