Diverticular disease Flashcards
What is it?
Diverticular disease is a common surgical problem. It consists of the herniation of colonic mucosa through the muscular wall of the colon. The usual site is between the taenia coli where vessels pierce the muscle to supply the mucosa. For this reason, the rectum, which lacks taenia, is often spared.
Symptoms
Altered bowel habit
rectal bleeding
Abdominal pain
Complications
Diverticulitis
Haemorrhage
Development of fistula
Perforation and faecal peritonitis
Perforation and development of abscess
Development of diverticular phlegmon
Diagnosis
Patients presenting in clinic will typically undergo either a colonoscopy, CT cologram or barium enema as part of their diagnostic work up. All tests can identify diverticular disease. It can be far more difficult to confidently exclude cancer, particularly in diverticular strictures.
Acutely unwell surgical patients should be investigated in a systematic way. Plain abdominal films and an erect chest x-ray will identify perforation. An abdominal CT scan (not a CT cologram) with oral and intravenous contrast will help to identify whether acute inflammation is present but also the presence of local complications such as abscess formation.
Severity Classification- Hinchey
I Para-colonic abscess
II Pelvic abscess
III Purulent peritonitis
IV Faecal peritonitis
Treatment
Increase dietary fibre intake
Mild attacks of diverticulitis may be managed conservatively with antibiotics.
Peri colonic abscesses should be drained either surgically or radiologically.
Recurrent episodes of acute diverticulitis requiring hospitalisation are a relative indication for a segmental resection.
Hinchey IV perforations (generalised faecal peritonitis) will require a resection and usually a stoma. This group have a very high risk of post operative complications and usually require HDU admission. Less severe perforations may be managed by laparoscopic washout and drain insertion.
