CA
A 45-year-old male asked:
What makes diverticulitis so bad that surgery is necessary?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in
Dr. Barry Rosenanswered
General Surgery 36 years experience
Hole In The Colon: Diverticulitis occurs when a small pocket of the wall of the colon ruptures, thru which intestinal contents may leak into the abdominal cavity. The severity of the episode is related to how quickly and how well the body seals this hole shut. If it remains open, generalized peritonitis can develop necessitating emergency surgery to remove this ruptured area (with a temporary colostomy).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed Jul 01, 2022
Dr. Allen Seelyanswered
General Practice 33 years experience
MAY cause bowel perf: Just like a 'ruptured appendix' is bad, so is a perforated bowel from diverticulitis. If the bowel contents (stool, bacteria) gets out of the intestine and into the 'body cavity' it can cause near-fatal peritonitis, sepsis (blood infection), shock , and eventual death. It is better to remove the appendix and/or the diverticular abcess before 'it's too late!'.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Jul 1, 2022
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