Diverticula are frequently seen in the sigmoid, descending, ascending and transverse colons whereas rectal diverticula are extremely rare. The stapled rectal mucosectomy for the treatment of a prolapsed hemorrhoid is less painful and has lower morbidity; therefore, it has been commonly used despite possible complications. This paper reports a case of a rectal diverticulum that developed after a procedure for prolapsed hemorrhoids (PPH). A 42-year-old man with a history of hemorrhoidectomies came to the hospital because of constipation. On sigmoidoscopy, a 2-cm-sized, feces-filled pocket was located just above the anorectal junction. After removal of the fecal material, a huge rectal diverticulum (-4 cm in diameter) was seen. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of rectal diverticulum outpouching through the muscular layer of the intestine in a left posterolateral direction. The patient was discharged without complication after a transanal diverticulectomy had been performed, and the direct rectal wall had been repaired.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• Solitary rectal diverticulum: A rare entity mimicking contained perforation – Imaging and surgical correlation
  Kassandra G. Tulenko, Samantha H. Epstein, Brett R. Kurpiel, Rachita Khot
  Case Reports in Clinical Radiology.2025; 0: 1.     CrossRef
• Rectal Diverticulum as a Rare Complication Following the Longo Procedure: A Case Report and Review of Therapeutic Challenges
  Arturs Niedritis, Sergejs Lebedjkovs
  Cureus.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A Novel Method of Treating Rectal Diverticulum Using Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS)
  Yui Kaneko, Neil Strugnell
  World Journal of Colorectal Surgery.2024; 13(2): 46.     CrossRef
• İnverte rektal divertikül: Nadir bir kolonoskopik bulgu
  Şehmus ÖLMEZ, Adnan TAŞ, Nevin AKÇAER ÖZTÜRK, Bünyamin SARITAŞ
  Akademik Gastroenteroloji Dergisi.2023; 22(1): 38.     CrossRef
• Rectal Pocket Syndrome: A Symptomatic Rectal Pseudodiverticula as a Long-Term Complication of Failed Purse-String Suture During Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy
  Cristopher Varela, Adrian Terán, Sthephfania Lopez, German Millan
  World Journal of Colorectal Surgery.2023; 12(2): 48.     CrossRef
• Mucocele: a rare complication following stapled haemorrhoidopexy
  Xing-Yang Wan, Yuan-Ji Fu, Gui-Ming Li, Guo-Zhong Xiao, Zhi-Wei Guo, Dong-Lin Ren, Bo Cao, Hong-Cheng Lin
  BMC Surgery.2022;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Pulsion diverticula of the rectum: Radiological diagnosis and clinical implications
  Gary G Ghahremani, Ravinder K Mittal
  Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.2021; 65(3): 286.     CrossRef
• Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy: “Mucosectomy or Not Only Mucosectomy, This Is the Problem”
  Chiara Eberspacher, Fabio M. Magliocca, Stefano Pontone, Pietro Mascagni, Lisa Fralleone, Gaetano Gallo, Domenico Mascagni
  Frontiers in Surgery.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A case of solitary rectal diverticulum presenting with a large retrorectal abscess
  Stefanos Gorgoraptis, Sofia Xenaki, Elias Athanasakis, Anna Daskalaki, Konstantinos Lasithiotakis, Evangelia Chrysou, Emmanuel Chrysos
  Annals of Medicine and Surgery.2020; 49: 57.     CrossRef
• Mucocele complicating stapled hemorrhoidopexy
  Asia Grapsi, Alessandro Sturiale, Bernardina Fabiani, Gabriele Naldini
  International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.2017; 33: 38.     CrossRef

Procedure for prolapsed hemorrhoid (PPH) is well recognized alternative to the traditional hemorrhoidectomy, and is associated with reduced pain and earlier return to normal activity. Over the past decade, there have been reports of severe life-threatening complications after a PPH, although the incidence is very low. Rectal perforation due to staple-line dehiscence is one of the serious complications that can cause severe pelvic sepsis or a pneumoretroperitoneum. Here, the first Korean case of a pneumoretroperitoneum due to staple-line dehiscence is described.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  

• The Effort to Reduce Vasovagal Reaction and Abdominal Pain During Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy
  Hyeonseok Jeong
  Annals of Coloproctology.2020; 36(5): 291.     CrossRef
• Partial Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy Versus Circular Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy
  Jin Sub Kim
  Annals of Coloproctology.2017; 33(1): 7.     CrossRef
• Early Experience With a Partial Stapled Hemorrhoidopexy for Treating Patients With Grades III–IV Prolapsing Hemorrhoids
  Hyeonseok Jeong, Sunghwan Hwang, Kil O Ryu, Jiyong Lim, Hyun Tae Kim, Hye Mi Yu, Jihoon Yoon, Ju-Young Lee, Hyoung Rae Kim, Young Gil Choi
  Annals of Coloproctology.2017; 33(1): 28.     CrossRef