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Diverticulitis in women: an unappreciated clinical presentation.

A final diagnosis of diverticulosis or diverticulitis was made in 1,031 women over a 10 year period. The 69 patients who underwent abdominal operation for what proved to be diverticulitis are discussed in detail. Thirty-eight per cent of these women were believed to have gynecologic disease because of the presence of a pelvic mass. Diverticulitis is an important differential diagnosis of a pelvic mass with or without clinical and laboratory indications of infection and with or without history of diverticulosis or diverticulitis. The increasing awareness of ovarian carcinoma and its ominous prognosis make this differential diagnosis especially important. Diverticular disease should always be considered among such patients and preparations made to allow optimal treatment at that operation, whatever the ultimate cause of the mass.

Adult↗

Colon perforation after kidney transplantation.

Between 1962 and 1977 approximately 2% of Denver kidney transplant patients developed colon perforation. The single commonest cause was diverticulitis of the left colon (6/13 cases). In spite of drastic reduction or discontinuation of immunosuppression, only 5/13 patients survived for more than 90 days after operation. Analysis of this experience suggests that the high mortality rate associated with this complication can be reduced by early operation which removes the perforation from the peritoneal cavity (either exteriorization or resection) without primary intestinal reanastomosis. We believe that candidates for kidney transplantation with a history of previously symptomatic diverticulosis coli should have elective colon resection prior to transplantation. Any kidney transplant patient with lower abdominal signs should be investigated and treated aggressively.

Adolescent↗

Role of arteriography in rectal hemorrhage due to arteriovenous malformations and diverticulosis.

Nine patients with arteriographic right colon arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) are reviewed. Even though five of the eight surviving patients had diverticulosis in remaining colon, right colectomy with removal of the AVM effectively controlled bleeding in seven of the eight patients in follow-up intervals of 14-66 months. Such results suggest that right colon AVM, rather than diverticulosis, may be the more common cause of chronic recurrent lower intestinal hemorrhage in the elderly. Rebleeding occurred in one patient and has heretofore been reported in seven cases. However, since AVM bleeding is rarely life-threatening, right colectomy for chronic recurrent rectal bleeding is justifiable as the initial operative procedure for an AVM, even in the presence of left colon or sigmoid diverticulosis. In the same five year period, 1973-1977, four additional patients with massive hemorrhage, characteristic of diverticulosis, had emergency arteriography with demonstration of a localized site of diverticular bleeding that was controllable by partial colon resection. Consequently, segmental resection of the colon, utilizing selective arteriography, has thus far eliminated bleeding in eight of nine patients with diverticulosis. The judicious use of arteriography in patients with diverticulosis and rectal bleeding substantially reduces the requirement for subtotal colectomy and ileoproctostomy.

Adult↗

Changing patterns in the surgical treatment of diverticular disease.

This paper includes a brief historic summary of the surgical aspects of diverticular disease and of corresponding developments in the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1911 to the present. The 350 cases observed in 1974-1983 are compared with 338 seen in the previous decade. Major trends include a decrease in hospital admissions for diverticular disease but a sustained number of operations; increased severity of the disease in hospitalized patients manifested by an increased percentage of patients with immunosuppression or serious other diseases (p less than 0.001), an increased number with sepsis and general peritonitis (p less than 0.001); an increased percentage of cases with one-stage resection and anastomosis (p less than 0.02); in patients with general peritonitis, resection of the perforated segment at the time of the original operation was accompanied by the lowest mortality (p less than 0.02); incidental splenectomy appears to be dangerous, with three deaths in eight cases; and overall mortality in the last decade is 6.4%; for emergency cases 10.2%, for urgent 9.7%, and for elective cases 2.4%.

Abscess↗

Impact of emergency angiography in massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Fifty patients with massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding were initially managed with emergency angiography. The average age was 67.2; mean hematocrit, 23.7; and average transfusion, 7.6 units. Thirty-six patients (72%) had bleeding site located; bleeding sites were distributed throughout the colon. Etiologies of bleeding included diverticular disease (19 patients) and arteriovenous malformations (15 patients). Twenty of 22 (91%) patients receiving selective intra-arterial vasopressin stopped bleeding; however, 50% rebled on cessation of vasopressin. Thirty-five of 50 (70%) patients underwent surgery, with 57% operated on electively after vasopressin therapy. Seventeen patients had segmental colectomy, with no rebleeding. Nine of the 17 patients had diverticular disease in the remaining colon. Operative morbidity in these 35 patients was significantly improved when compared to previously reported patients undergoing emergency subtotal colectomy without angiography (8.6% vs. 37%) (p less than 0.02). Emergency angiography successfully locates the bleeding site, allowing for segmental colectomy. Vasopressin infusion transiently halts bleeding, permitting elective surgery in many instances.

Adult↗

Abnormal colonic wall thickening on computed tomography.

There are many disease processes, both inflammatory and neoplastic, which can alter the colonic bowel wall. A retrospective study was done on surgically proven cases of colonic disease in which colonic bowel wall abnormalities were identified by computed tomography. Colonic bowel wall thickening was the most common finding, but was nonspecific. Finger-like projections extending from the bowel wall into the surrounding mesentery did help distinguish inflammatory change from neoplastic change. Examples of diverticulitis, appendicitis, Crohn's disease, carcinoma, lymphoma, and metastatic disease are presented.

Barium Sulfate↗

A double-blind study of radiologic accuracy in diverticulitis, diverticulosis, and carcinoma of the sigmoid colon.

A review of the barium enema studies in 73 patients with diverticular disease of the colon and with and without associated neoplasm leads to the conclusion that the correct radiologic recognition of an associated neoplasm in a colon with diverticulitis or diverticulosis can be made only about half the time. The limitations of the radiographic method and radiologic findings in distinguishing diverticulitis from carcinoma should be more clearly recognized by the clinician.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Patterns of pain in diverticular disease and the influence of acute diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND: While the association of recurrent bouts of abdominal pain with colonic diverticulosis is well recognized, the cause of this pain is obscure since in most cases it occurs without obvious diverticulitis or other potential causes. AIMS: To define the patterns of pain in diverticular disease and the influence of acute diverticulitis. METHODS: Two studies were undertaken to establish the relationship between bouts of prolonged abdominal pain (> 24 h) presumed to be due to inflammatory diverticulitis and recurrent short-lived pain. In Study 1, 261 patients with a barium enema showing diverticulosis completed a postal questionnaire concerning episodes of both prolonged and short-lived pain. In Study 2, 26 patients previously admitted to hospital with a firm diagnosis of diverticulitis were interviewed for details of their bowel habits since discharge. RESULTS: Study 1: 94/261 patients experienced recurrent, short-lived pain on a median of five days a month, with a median duration of 3 h. In addition, 51/261 patients described episodes of prolonged pain with a median duration of three days. Of these, 31/51 (61%) experienced recurrent, short-lived pain compared with 63/210 (30%) who had not had an episode of prolonged pain. More specifically, 12/17 (71%) who received antibiotic treatment for presumed acute diverticulitis during their bout of prolonged pain experienced recurrent pain compared with 82/244 (34%) who did not experience such an episode. Study 2: 18/26 patients hospitalized for acute diverticulitis developed new, recurrent, short-lived abdominal pain following discharge, with a median duration of 4 h. CONCLUSION: Episodes of prolonged, presumed inflammatory pain due to diverticulitis are frequently followed by recurrent, short-lived pain similar to that seen in irritable bowel syndrome.

Abdominal Pain↗

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis spectrum of a modern malady.

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are common disorders in modern society and represent different places on the spectrum of diverticular disease. Often called a problem of western civilization, diverticular disease is rare in developing countries. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology of diverticular disease, risk factors, and clinical presentation in varying phases. Differential diagnostic testing and comprehensive management from the medical, surgical, and wound, ostomy, and continence nursing perspectives are also addressed. Nurses play a key role in supporting people with diverticular disease and referring them for appropriate assessment, treatment, and support.

Diverticulitis, Colonic↗

The pathology of diverticulosis coli.

Left-sided diverticulosis coli is a common condition in western communities, with 30% to 50% of adults over the age of 60 being affected. It predominantly involves the sigmoid colon. The diverticula (pseudodiverticula) are pockets of mucosa bounded by muscularis mucosae and invested with a thin layer of submucosa, that are forced out through weak points in the muscularis propria, the tips ending in the colonic subserosa. The weak points in the muscle coat are the sites of entry of the nutrient vessels of the colonic mucosa. Diverticulosis is attributed to increased colonic intraluminal pressure while straining at stool in individuals who eat low-fiber diets. Muscular hypertrophy, shortening of the bowel, and thickened mucosal folds due to mucosal redundancy are characteristic of this condition. Complications of diverticulosis include bleeding, diverticulitis, peridiverticular abscess, perforation, stricture, and fistula formation. However, most individuals with diverticulosis are asymptomatic, without evidence of complications. Mucosal changes in the diverticula in uncomplicated diverticulosis include an increased lymphoid infiltrate, development of lymphoglandular complexes, mucin depletion, mild cryptitis, architectural distortion, Paneth cell metaplasia, and ulceration. The mucosa of the remainder of the sigmoid colon (ie, the nondiverticular mucosa) is usually normal, but in about 1% of cases it has features that are indistinguishable from ulcerative colitis or from Crohn's disease (segmental colitis associated with diverticular disease, SCAD). Such cases pose a difficult diagnostic challenge as patients with SCAD respond to medical or surgical therapy for diverticular disease, whereas those with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease will develop other manifestations of their disease in time and require different treatment. In SCAD, the mucosal changes are confined to the area of diverticulosis; therefore, histologic evaluation of the rectum (which is unaffected by diverticulosis) and more proximal bowel can be helpful in the differential diagnosis.

Colon↗

The pathology of diverticulosis: classical concepts and mucosal changes in diverticula.

Left-sided diverticular disease affects upwards of 50% of the population over the age of 60 years in western countries and is becoming more common as the population ages. Studies from the 1960s to 1980s related its occurrence to the use of low fiber diets, and to the prolonged colonic transit time and increased intraluminal pressure associated with low-volume stools. Pulsion diverticula (pseudodiverticula) emerge through the muscularis propria of the left colon at points of penetration of the vasa recta that supply the submucosa and mucosa. Cardinal features of the sigmoid colon in diverticular disease are abnormalities of the muscularis propria, including thickening and elastosis of the teniae, shortening of the bowel, and thickening and folding of the circular muscle with the development of transverse semilunar ridges between the mesenteric and antimesenteric teniae. Complications of diverticular disease such as hemorrhage, diverticulitis, peridiverticular abscess, fistula, and perforation are well recognized.

Colon↗

Observations on the muscle abnormality of the human sigmoid colon in diverticular disease.

1 Pharmacological experiments were performed on circular and longitudinal muscle strips of sigmoid colon from diverticular disease specimens, and their responses compared with those of similar muscle strips from sigmoid colon resected from carcinoma (control). 2 The longitudinal muscle strips from diverticular disease specimens were significantly less responsive to acetylcholine, histamine or noradrenaline than control longitudinal muscle strips. 3 The responses of the diverticular circular muscle strips showed a small decrease to acetylcholine, a small increase to noradrenaline and no change to histamine when compared to control strips.

Acetylcholine↗

Elective resection for diverticular disease.

A series of 119 patients undergoing elective resection for diverticular disease has been reviewed. The indications for resection were classified into two major groups--those with severe infections ("complicated" diverticulitis), comprising 58 patients, and those with minimal infections, comprising 61 patients. The majority of the resections were limited to the sigmoid colon (101 patients). Fifteen patients underwent left hemicolectomy, whilst three had total colectomy. Thirty-six patients (30%) had a proximal defunctioning stoma--18 prior to resection and 19 at the time of resection. Anastomotic defects were noted in 15 patients (12.6%), but these were of clinical significance only in eight (6.7%). There were two deaths (1.7%) and 17 wound infections (14.3%). The group classified as "complicated" diverticulitis included the great majority of the patients requiring colostomy (32 out of 37), almost all those with anastomotic defects (14 out of 15), and most of the patients who had postoperative complications.

Acute Disease↗

Long-term, health-related, quality of life comparison in patients undergoing single stage vs staged resection for complicated diverticular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term health-related quality of life, for single-staged and staged resections following reversal, for complicated diverticular disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1981 and 2003, 188 patients undergoing single stage (n = 158) or staged resection (n = 30) completed the SF-36 questionnaire. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was compared between the two groups and the US normal population based on the eight domains of the SF-36. HRQL analysis was also performed at various time intervals. The effect of age and postoperative complications on HRQL was also determined. Functional and postoperative outcomes were also assessed. RESULTS: The single and staged resection groups differed in the presence of comorbidity, degree of peritoneal contamination and operative urgency. No difference in functional outcomes or HRQL was found, even after analysing time-interval subgroups. Social functioning and general health was substantially worse in both groups when compared to US norms. Ageing was found to significantly reduce physical functioning (P < 0.001) and physical and emotional role limitations (P < 0.001 for both). Post-operative complications significantly reduced scores when compared to patients without complications, for physical functioning (63.57 vs 78.7, respectively; P < 0.001), physical role limitation (80.65 vs 86.9, respectively; P < 0.001) and bodily pain (66.67 vs 74.81, respectively; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in long-term HRQL was found in patients undergoing single staged or staged resection for complicated diverticular disease. There was significant impact of ageing and postoperative complications on physical health. Prospective studies that include pre-operative data on HRQL are required to compare the two operative techniques, with emphasis on quality of life of patients left with a permanent stoma.

Age Factors↗