Diverticular disease

Diverticular disease, also diverticulosis, is a common disease of the colon. Inflammation of diverticula is known as diverticulitis.

Diverticular disease
Diagnosis in short
Diverticulum. H&E stain.
LM	mucosa/submucosa invaginate into the musuclaris propria
Site	colon, other sites
Associated Dx	diverticulitis, peritonitis, diverticular-associated colitis
Symptoms	usu. asymptomatic, diverticulitis presents with abdominal pain
Clin. DDx	colorectal carcinoma

General

• Very common.
• Typically seen in elderly patients - 50s and 60s.

Complications:

• Diverticulitis.
• Peformation - peritonitis.
• Diverticular-associated colitis - see below.

Diverticular-associated colitis

Features:

• Rare.
• Definitions vary somewhat - one is: IBD-like inflammation restricted to areas with diverticular disease.
• Considerable overlap with IBD histologically (no definite histologic findings).
• Rectal biopsy may be used to differentiate from ulcerative colitis.

Gross

• Corrugated - like cardboard.
• Wall thickening (reactive).

Endoscopic image

• 

  Diverticular disease. (WC/Samir)

Grossing notes

• pp:Diverticular disease.

Microscopic

Features:

• Mucosa/submucosa invagination into the musuclaris propria (MP).
  • At the site the blood vessels supplying the mucosa and submucosa penetrate the MP.

DDx:

• Colorectal carcinoma - may cause a stricture, usually obvious on microscopy.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.

Images

• 

  Diverticular disease. (WC)

www:

• DD (wikispaces.com).

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RECTO-SIGMOID, LARGE BOWEL RESECTION:
- PERFORATED DIVERTICULITIS WITH SEROSITIS AND ABSCESS FORMATION.
- SUBMUCOSAL FIBROSIS.
- ONE LYMPH NODE NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY ( 0 POSITIVE / 1 ).
- NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY.

SIGMOID COLON, SIGMOIDECTOMY:
- DIVERTICULAR DISEASE WITHOUT DIVERTICULITIS.
- NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY.

See also

• Colon.
• Gastrointestinal pathology.