digestive disorders
Diverticulitis
Symptoms of Diverticulitis
Symptoms of diverticulitis typically include pain and/or tenderness (usually in the left lower part of the abdomen), fever, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Diverticulitis typically does not cause Gastrointestinal Bleeding . Complications of diverticulitis include Fistulas Abscess Peritonitis Narrowing (stricture) Afistulais an abnormal channel connecting one organ with another or with the skin. Intestinal inflammation from diverticulitis can lead to the development of fistulas that connect the large intestine with other organs. Fistulas usually form when an inflamed diverticulum in the large intestine is touching another organ (such as the bladder). The resulting inflammation along with the bacterial contents of the large intestine slowly penetrate the nearby organ, resulting in a fistula. Most fistulas form between the sigmoid colon and the bladder. These fistulas are more common among men than women, although women who have had a Treatment (removal of the uterus) are at increased risk because the large intestine and bladder are no longer separated by the uterus. When fistulas form between the large intestine and bladder, intestinal contents, including normal bacteria, enter the bladder and cause Less commonly, a fistula can develop between the large intestine and the small intestine, uterus, vagina, abdominal wall, or even the thigh. In diverticular disease, a diverticulum may bleed into the intestine. If a diverticulum ruptures, the contents of the intestine, including bacteria and blood, spill into the abdominal cavity, often causing infection. An abnormal channel (fistula) may form between the large intestine and another organ, usually when a diverticulum that touches another organ ruptures. is a pocket of pus. An Abdominal Abscesses can form around an inflamed diverticulum, causing worsened pain and fever. Peritonitis None Other possible complications of diverticulitis include inflammation of nearby organs (such as the uterus, bladder, or other areas of the digestive tract). Repeated bouts of diverticulitis can lead to narrowing (stricture) of the colon because the resulting scarring and muscle thickening can narrow the inside of the large intestine and prevent solid stool from passing through. 