|
|
You Are Here » Miscellaneous » Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis » Complications of Diverticulitis
Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
Contents of this Article
Complications of Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis (pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-LY-tiss) can lead to bleeding, infections, perforations or tears, or blockages. These complications always require treatment to prevent them from progressing and causing serious illness.
- 1) Bleeding
Bleeding from diverticula (pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-luh) is a rare complication. When diverticula bleed, blood may appear in the toilet or in your stool. Bleeding can be severe, but it may stop by itself and not require treatment. Doctors believe bleeding diverticula are caused by a small blood vessel in a diverticulum (pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-lum) that weakens and finally bursts. If you have bleeding from the rectum, you should see your doctor. If the bleeding does not stop, surgery may be necessary.
- 2) Abscess, Perforation, and Peritonitis
The infection causing diverticulitis often clears up after a few days of treatment with antibiotics. If the condition gets worse, an abscess may form in the colon.
An abscess is an infected area with pus that may cause swelling and destroy tissue. Sometimes the infected diverticula may develop small holes, called perforations. These perforations allow pus to leak out of the colon into the abdominal area. If the abscess is small and remains in the colon, it may clear up after treatment with antibiotics. If the abscess does not clear up with antibiotics, the doctor may need to drain it.
To drain the abscess, the doctor uses a needle and a small tube called a catheter. The doctor inserts the needle through the skin and drains the fluid through the catheter. This procedure is called percutaneous catheter drainage. Sometimes surgery is needed to clean the abscess and, if necessary, remove part of the colon.
A large abscess can become a serious problem if the infection leaks out and contaminates areas outside the colon. Infection that spreads into the abdominal cavity is called peritonitis. Peritonitis requires immediate surgery to clean the abdominal cavity and remove the damaged part of the colon. Without surgery, peritonitis can be fatal.
- 3) Fistula
A fistula is an abnormal connection of tissue between two organs or between an organ and the skin. When damaged tissues come into contact with each other during infection, they sometimes stick together. If they heal that way, a fistula forms. When diverticulitis related infection spreads outside the colon, the colon's tissue may stick to nearby tissues. The organs usually involved are the bladder, * small intestine, and skin.
The most common type of fistula occurs between the bladder and the colon. It affects men more than women. This type of fistula can result in a severe, long lasting infection of the urinary tract. The problem can be corrected with surgery to remove the fistula and the affected part of the colon.
- 4) Intestinal Obstruction
The scarring caused by infection may cause partial or total blockage of the large intestine. When this happens, the colon is unable to move bowel contents normally. When the obstruction totally blocks the intestine, emergency surgery is necessary. Partial blockage is not an emergency, so the surgery to correct it can be planned.
The colon (large intestine) and an enlargement of it showing diverticula.
Each pouch is called a diverticulum, pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-lum.
Pouches (plural) are called diverticula, pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-luh.
The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis, pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-LOH-siss.
When the pouches become infected or inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis, pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-LY-tiss. This happens in 10 to 25 percent of people with diverticulosis.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are also called diverticular disease, pronunciation - DY-vur-TIK-yoo-lur.
Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order
* Small Intestine
The small intestine is the organ where most digestion occurs. It measures about 22 feet and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine, right after your stomach, jejunum is the middle section of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum, and the ileum is the lower end of the small intestine. More about Small Intestine.
Back To Top
References:
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
NIH Publication No. 07-1163
October 2006
digestive.niddk.nih.gov
|
|