NUR 290 Lecture Notes - Lecture 39: Diverticular Disease, Bowel Obstruction, Diverticulosis
Document Summary
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are two types of diverticular disease. Therefore, for a person to develop diverticulitis they must first have diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is the formation of hollow sac cavities throughout the intestinal wall. These outpouching sacs can form anywhere throughout the intestine but are most commonly found in the sigmoid colon of the large intestine. A person can have many of these outpouching areas which are called diverticula or a single one which is called diverticulum. Typically, when a patient has a single diverticulum they are at risk for developing more herniated sac areas. Patients are usually asymptomatic until they develop a complication. If a patient does have signs and symptoms they may experience: change in bowel pattern (sudden constipation/diarrhea, abdominal bloating. *the patient may attribute these signs and symptoms to something else. Many patients find out they have this disease at random.
