Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis coli is a condition
of the colon. Diverticula are small pouches that bulge
outward through weakened areas in the colon. The pouches
can be formed when pressure inside the colon builds,.
Most patients with diverticulosis have no symptoms.
If the pouches become inflamed, the condition is called
diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is usually associated with symptoms such
as lower abdominal pain, fever, tenderness, and a change
in the shape of the stool. A patient with diverticulosis
may never develop diverticulitis, but should diverticulitis
occur, the patient should immediately see a physician.
The physician may treat the patient with antibiotics
and a modified diet. Rarely diverticulitis may require
hospitalization, emergency surgery or obstruction of
the colon. Lower GI bleeding is another uncommon but
serious complication of diverticulosis. It typically
presents with painless, large volume rectal bleeding
and is self limited in majority of cases.
Please visit the following website for more information:
• www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/diverticular.asp
• www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diverticulosis/index.htm
|
