A pouch or pocket leading o? a main cavity or tube. The term is especially applied to protrusions from the intestine, which may be present either at the time of birth as a developmental peculiarity, or which develop in numbers upon the large intestine during the course of life.
n. (pl. diverticula) a sac or pouch formed at weak points in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. They may be caused by increased pressure from within (pulsion diverticula) or by pulling from without (traction diverticula). A pharyngeal diverticulum occurs in the pharynx and may cause difficulty in swallowing. Oesophageal diverticula occur in the middle or lower oesophagus (gullet); they may be associated with muscular disorders of the oesophagus but rarely cause symptoms. Gastric diverticula, which are rare, affect the stomach (usually the upper part) and cause no symptoms. Duodenal diverticula occur on the concave surface of the duodenal loop; they are usually asymptomatic but a small minority may be associated with *dyspepsia, choledocholithiasis, and an increased risk of pancreatitis. Jejunal diverticula affect the small intestine, are often multiple, and may give rise to abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, and *malabsorption due to overgrowth of bacteria within them. Meckel’s diverticulum occurs in the ileum, about 35 cm from its termination, as a congenital abnormality. It may become inflamed, mimicking *appendicitis; if it contains embryonic remnants of stomach mucosa it may form a *peptic ulcer, causing pain, bleeding, or perforation. Colonic diverticula, affecting the colon (particularly the left side), become commoner with increasing age and often cause no symptoms. However they are sometimes associated with abdominal pain or altered bowel habit (see diverticular disease) or they may become inflamed (see diverticulitis).
A common problem, present at birth, in which a small, hollow, wide-mouthed sac protrudes from the ileum. Symptoms only occur when the diverticulum becomes infected, obstructed, or ulcerated. The most common symptom is painless bleeding, which may be sudden and severe, making immediate blood transfusion necessary. Inflammation may cause symptoms very similar to those of acute appendicitis. Meckel’s diverticulum occasionally causes intussusception or volvulus of the small intestine. Diagnosis of Meckel’s diverticulum may be made by using technetium radionuclide scanning. If complications occur, they are treated by surgical removal of the diverticulum.... meckel’s diverticulum
A hollow pouch sometimes found attached to the small INTESTINE. It is placed on the small intestine about 90–120 cm (3–4 feet) from its junction with the large intestine, is several centimetres long, and ends blindly. It is lined with cells similar to those which line the stomach, and so may produce acid. This leads to occasional illness – Meckel’s diverticulitis with ulceration, which causes abdominal pain and fever (sometimes referred to as ‘left-sided appendicitis’). Perforation may result in PERITONITIS and, rarely, may be the lead point of an INTUSSUSCEPTION.... meckel’s diverticulum
A sac-like protrusion of part of the oesophagus wall in which food becomes trapped, causing irritation, difficulty swallowing, halitosis, and regurgitation. A diverticulum is usually removed surgically.... oesophageal diverticulum
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