Diverticular disease

Diverticular disease may be asymptomatic or may present with non-specific abdominal symptoms, such as pain or tenderness.

Symptomatic acute diverticulitis presents with fever, leukocytosis, and left lower quadrant pain.

Computed tomography scan is the imaging modality of choice for acute diverticulitis and complicated diverticular disease.

Treatment for acute diverticulitis includes bowel rest, antibiotics, and surgical intervention.

Complications include bleeding, infection, segmental colitis, perforation, abscess, peritonitis, fistula, and obstruction.

Diverticular disease may be defined as any clinical state caused by symptoms pertaining to colonic diverticula, and includes a wide-ranging spectrum from asymptomatic to severe and complicated disease. Colonic diverticulosis refers to herniation of the mucosa and submucosa through the muscular layer of the colonic wall and may be the result of colonic smooth muscle over-activity. Diverticulitis indicates inflammation of a diverticulum or diverticula and may be caused by infection. Other complications of diverticular disease include segmental colitis, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, infection, abscess, perforation, peritonitis, fistula formation, and obstruction.