What is diverticulosis and what is diverticulitis?
- Diverticulosis refers to blind pouches leading off the alimentary tract.
- Diverticulitis refers to when diverticula become infected.
What is the mode of clinical presentation of diverticulosis?
- They are usually discovered incidentally.
- Clinical presentation changes once there is a complication.
What are the potential complications of diverticula?
- Inflammation (diverticulitis)
- Chronic blood loss/rarely acute hemorrhage
- Abdominal discomfort/constipation/diarrhea
What are the complications of diverticulitis?
- Perforation
- Fistula
- Abscess
- Bleeding
- Obstruction
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Acute Diverticulitis: A section of colon reveals acute inflammation (hyperemia, swelling) of the serosa and pericolic fat. |
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A section of colon reveals numerous diverticula which protrude from the edge of the taenia coli (*). The colon is cut in cross section revealing the diverticuli (contain feces) and the empty colonic lumen. |