Diverticulitis Info

 

As we age, some of us will develop small pouches in the colon, which is the section of the large intestine that runs from the cecum to the rectum. These poucheswhich are singularly known as a diverticulum and collectively called diverticulabulge outward through weak spots the colon in much the same way that an inner tube sticks out through worn areas of tread in a tire.

About 10% of Americans over the age of 40 and almost 50% of those over 60 have diverticula, a condition known as diverticulosis; though not fully proven, researchers believe that diets low in fiber are to blame for the condition. Low fiber diets lead to constipation, which causes the muscles to strain to move stool. This straining causes increased pressure in the colon and may cause the bulging pouches.

The disease was first observed in the United States in the early 1900s, which was about the same time that processed foods became a staple in the American diet. Diverticular disease is rare in countries where people consume high-fiber vegetable diets.

When stool or bacteria become trapped in the diverticula, infection and inflammation follow and diverticulitis or diverticular disease develops. An attack of acute diverticulitis can develop quite suddenly and without warning. Abdominal pain and tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen are the most common symptoms of diverticulitis. If the diverticula are infected, people frequently experience fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation as well, with the degree of infection determining the harshness of the symptoms.

Bleeding, perforations, tears, or blockages in the colon can result from diverticulitis. Without treatment, these complications will continue and cause serious illness. Acute diverticulitis is the most common complication of colonic diverticulosis and also one of the most frequently occurring acute diseases of the colon.

Acute diverticulitis begins as a localized infection of a diverticulum and develops into inflammation of pericolic tissues. The infection causing diverticulitis often clears up after a few days of treatment with antibiotics. If the condition gets worse, a pus-filled abscess may form in the colon that can destroy tissue.

Infected diverticula can also develop small holes or perforations through which pus can leak from the colon into the abdominal area. A small abscess that remains in the colon may clear up after treatment with antibiotics. However, antibiotics don't solve the problem; the abscess may need to be drained using a small needle and a catheter. Sometimes clearing out the abscess requires surgery that may include removing part of the colon as well.

When an infection caused by diverticulitis spreads outside the colon, tissue in the colon may stick to the skin and other organs, forming abnormal tissue connections known as fistulas.

Fistulas most often occur between the bladder and the colon, and more frequently in men than women. A fistula here can result in a severe, long-lasting infection of the urinary tract. As with an abscess that does not heal with antibiotics, surgery is required to remove the fistula and the damaged part of the colon.

Scarring caused by colon infections can partially or completely block the large intestine, preventing normal bowel movements. Complete obstruction requires emergency surgery, but surgery to correct partial blockage can be scheduled because it is not an emergency.