digestive disorders
Diverticulosis of the Large Intestine
Treatment of Diverticulosis of the Large Intestine
No treatment for people who have no symptoms Changes in diet for people who have symptoms Treatment of bleeding People who have diverticula but have no symptoms do not need treatment or changes to their diet. The goal of treatment of diverticulosis in people who have symptoms is usually to reduce intestinal spasms, which may be best achieved by maintaining a high-fiber diet (which consists of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains) and drinking plenty of fluids. Increased bulk in the large intestine reduces spasms, which in turn decreases the pressure on the walls of the large intestine. However, it is not clearly proved that fiber helps a great deal. If a high-fiber diet alone is not effective, a diet supplemented daily with bran that does not dissolve in water and cannot be digested by the body, or a bulking agent, such aspsylliumormethylcellulose, may help. People who have constipation may also be given laxatives that increase bulk in the large intestine. Most bleeding stops without treatment, but, if it does not, doctors often do colonoscopy to locate and clot (coagulate) the bleeding area with clips, heat, or a laser, or by injecting the area with a drug. Alternatively, doctors may do angiography to stop the bleeding. During this procedure, doctors pass a catheter into the artery that goes to the bleeding diverticulum and then inject material (a process called embolization) to reduce blood flow to the bleeding diverticulum. Rarely, if bleeding cannot be stopped or recurs often, doctors may do surgery to remove some or all of the large intestine (a procedure called colectomy). A giant diverticulum may require surgery because it is likely to become infected and rupture. 