Diverticulitis Flashcards
What is a diverticulum?
Outpouching of gut mucosa
What is diverticulosis?
Presence of multiple diverticula
What is diverticulitis?
Inflammation or infection of diverticulum
What is Meckel’s diverticulum?
Common congenital abnormality of the GI tract, usually asymptomatic
What can cause diverticulitis?
Low fibre diet, obesity, smoking, NSAIDs
How does diverticulitis present?
LIF pain with tenderness, palpable LIF mass, constipation, tachycardia, fever
What blood results would you expect?
Raised WCC, ESR and CRP
What imaging would you do?
Erect CXR, AXR, CT
What can imaging show?
Pneumoperitoneum, dilated bowel loops, obstruction, abscess
What antibiotics would you give?
Ciprofloxacin, metronidazole
How would you manage diverticulitis?
Antibiotics, analgesia and liquid diet, surgical resection if needed
What can cause diverticular disease?
Low fibre diet, obesity, age
How does diverticular disease present?
Altered bowel habit, abdominal pain, bleeding PR
How do you investigate diverticular disease?
CT and colonoscopy
Where are diverticula found?
Sigmoid and descending colon
