Diverticulitis

Question 1

Where does Diverticulitis occur?

Answer 1

Diverticulitis occurs in the large intestine and is inflammation of a diverticulum especially of the small pckets in the wall of the colon which fill with stagnant fecal material and become inflamed, rarely they may cause obstruction, perforation, or bleeding

Question 2

What is a diverticula?

Answer 2

A diverticula or diverticulum is a sac like protrusion of the colonic wall.
Diverticulosis is defined by the presence of diverticula and may be symptomatic or asymptomatic
Diverticular bleeding is defined as inflammation of a diverticulum.

Diverticular disease is defined as clinically significant and symptomatic diverticulosis due to diverticular bleeding, diverticulitis, segmental colitis associated with divertivula, or symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease.

Question 3

What is outpouching?

Answer 3

Essentially what diverticulitis is, when material that remains causes inflammatory process which leads to disease

Question 4

What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?

Answer 4

Perforation of a colonic diverticulum in an intra abdominal infeciton that may vary from microperforation with localized paracolic inflammation to macroperforation with either abcess or generalized peritonitis.
Causes acute abdominal pain and fever.
left lower abdominal tenderness and possible mass.
Leukocytosis.
There is a range from mild to severe disease. Most patients with localized infection report mild to moderate aching abdominal pain. Usually in the left lower quadrant.
Constipation or loose stools may be present. Nausea and vomiting are frequent.

Question 5

How long do you treat diverticulitis with antibiotics for?

Answer 5

7-10 days
Metronidazole 500mg TID and Ciprofloxacin 500mg BID
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxszole 160-800 mg BID orally and Metronidazole 500 mg TID
Amoxicillin-clavulanate 875-125mg every 12 hours