Lemmel's Syndrome Secondary to Common Bile Duct Compression by an Inflamed Duodenal Diverticulum

A 50-year-old female presented with acute epigastric abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting for two days. Laboratory data showed hyperbilirubinemia and leukocytosis. Abdominal imagining was concerning for a pancreatic head/uncinate process lesion concerning a pancreatic neoplasm. Subsequent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography found the major papilla adjacent to an inflamed and infected duodenal diverticulum, which was extrinsically compressing the distal common bile duct, causing biliary obstruction and common bile duct dilation. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of Lemmel's syndrome. A biliary sphincterotomy was performed to relieve the obstruction and one temporary plastic biliary stent was placed into the common bile duct. The duodenal diverticulitis was treated with antibiotics for 10 days and the patient made a good recovery.