Abscess. The most common complication of diverticulitis is an abscess outside the large intestine (colon). An abscess is a pus-filled cavity or lump in the tissue. Abscesses are usually treated with a technique known as percutaneous abscess drainage (PAD).
The condition can lead to more serious issues including diverticulitis, perforation (the formation of holes), stricture (a narrowing of the colon that does not easily let stool pass), fistulas (abnormal connection or tunneling between body parts), and bleeding.
Most people with diverticulitis recover completely. But, at its most severe, a pouch can burst open, spilling fecal matter directly into a person's bloodstream. This results in an immediate risk of developing a blood infection called sepsis, which can be life-threatening.
Fever above 100.4°F (38°C) that does not go away. Nausea, vomiting, or chills. Sudden belly or back pain that gets worse or is very severe.
Severe cases of diverticulitis that come on quickly and cause complications will likely require a hospital stay and involve intravenous (IV) antibiotics. A few days without food or drink will help your colon rest. Severe cases of diverticulitis will likely require a hospital stay.
It's much less common — 1 or 2% — in patients less than age 30. How long could a person live with diverticulosis before it's detected? The vast majority of patients would live their whole lives without having any sort of complication.
Complicated diverticulitis
If you have a severe attack or have other health problems, you'll likely need to be hospitalized. Treatment generally involves: Intravenous antibiotics. Insertion of a tube to drain an abdominal abscess, if one has formed.
When you have acute diverticulitis, a perforated colon is not that unusual because diverticulitis causes tiny tears — perforations — in the colon walls. These tears can grow larger and become problematic. Colonic perforation can also be a life-threatening complication of recent colon surgery called anastomotic leakage.
In rare cases, a severe episode of diverticulitis can only be treated with emergency surgery. This is when a hole (perforation) has developed in the bowel. This is uncommon, but causes very severe abdominal pain, which needs an emergency trip to hospital.
In most cases of surgery for diverticulitis, a colostomy is not required.
Diverticular disease is known to be associated with segmental colitis. Chronic inflammation could result in intestinal microbiota transformation and cause systemic inflammation, followed by arterial atherosclerosis and then cardiovascular disease.
Untreated, diverticulitis can be serious, leading to issues such as bowel obstruction and fistula. Get the information you need to lower your risk for these problems and other comorbidities. Diverticulitis is a form of colitis that can be serious and lead to other health complications if not caught early and treated.
During the study period, 55,096 of 44,915,066 deaths (0.12%) were reported to be caused by diverticulitis. Approximately 68% of diverticulitis deaths were in women vs. 32% in men. Deaths from diverticulitis comprised 0.017% of all deaths in women and 0.08% in men (P<0.001).
If the symptoms don't improve within a few days, the risk of serious complications increases. Surgery is then recommended. People who already have an intestinal perforation or peritonitis need to have surgery immediately. Both of these conditions are medical emergencies.
Diverticulitis most commonly affects the sigmoid colon, which is the last part of the large intestine just before the rectum. Doctors think there may be a connection between diverticulitis and the amount of red meat people eat per week, whether they smoke, and whether they have obesity.
Complications of diverticulosis include stricture, bleeding, perforation and fistula formation [1]. Perforation as a result of infected diverticulitis often leads to intra-abdominal sepsis and peritonitis requiring emergency surgery [2].
The abdominal pain of diverticulitis is usually lower and/or left-sided abdominal pain. The pain is usually sharp and constant, and the pain may seem to travel, or radiate, to the leg, groin, back, and side.
If you have a gastrointestinal or bowel perforation, you may experience: Abdominal pain or cramping, which is usually severe. Bloating or a swollen abdomen. Fever or chills.
Probiotics combined with mesalazine have also emerged as an alternative potential therapeutic strategy in preventing recurrent attacks of diverticulitis. One series reported that treatment with mesalazine and/or lactobacillus casei induced remission in 88% of their patients at a median follow-up of 2 years.
Even among those who do develop diverticulitis, most recover uneventfully, typically after seven to 10 days of oral antibiotics. And fewer than one in five experience a recurrence.
Several factors may increase your risk of developing diverticulitis: Aging. The incidence of diverticulitis increases with age.
Antibiotics are utilized for treating infections that can occur in acute diverticulitis. Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, amoxicillin-clavulanic, and moxifloxacin are typically prescribed to treat infection related to diverticulitis.
Historically, surgery was advised after two attacks of uncomplicated diverticulitis and after one attack in patients younger than 40 years [16].
Surgery usually isn't necessary in people who have acute diverticulitis. But there are exceptions: If abscesses (collections of pus) have formed, and treatment with antibiotics isn't successful, surgery is unavoidable.