Q. What is Diverticular Disease?

A common disorder of the large bowel, diverticulosis, is an early stage of the disease. It can be identified in 15% of the people over the age of 50 years. It is a condition of abnormal pouches in portions of the colon (small mucosal sacs called diverticula protrude through the intestinal wall). It has a history of constipation, which results in an increased intra colonic pressure, straining to pass hard faeces and rupturing of the bowel wall at weak points to form small pockets, which are called diverticuli. Inflammation and bacterial overgrowth in diverticuli may result in diarrhoea. When the pouches become inflamed (often as a result of bacterial infection), symptoms such as cramping pains, fever, and nausea can result. Such an infection, called as diverticulitis, is potentially life threatening and requires immediate medical intervention due to complications like ulceration or perforation or profuse bleeding.