What it means
Diverticula are small pouches that bulge out from the colon wall and are common with age. When one becomes inflamed or infected, that is diverticulitis. It often causes pain low on the left side of the belly, sometimes with fever. On CT the radiologist sees a thickened bowel wall and hazy, inflamed fat around it, called fat stranding.
When it matters
Reports often call it uncomplicated or complicated. Uncomplicated diverticulitis is common and often settles with rest, a light diet and sometimes antibiotics. Complicated means an abscess (a pocket of pus), a tear with air outside the bowel, a narrowing, or an abnormal channel to another organ. These may need drainage, a hospital stay or surgery, sometimes urgently. After recovery, doctors often suggest a colonoscopy if the colon has not been checked recently.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Is my diverticulitis uncomplicated, or is there an abscess or tear?
- Will it settle with rest and diet, or do I need antibiotics?
- Should I have a colonoscopy once this has healed?
