Abstract
Diverticula are outpouchings that occur at week points in the colonic wall where small blood vessels enter the circular muscle layer. Diverticula are most frequently found in the distal part of the colon, with 90% of patients having the sigmoid colon involved. Most patients who have diverticulosis remain asymptomatic; however an estimated 15-20% will develop diverticulitis. Acute diverticulitis is a complication of diverticulosis that occurs when these outpouchings become infected. It is theorised that inflammation occurs when the entrance to the diverticulum is obstructed by faecal matter leading to bacterial overgrowth and partial necrosis of the diverticular wall. To date, consensus appears to be lacking on several aspects regarding the diagnostic approach and treatment of diverticulitis. This has led to a joint Dutch initiative, the Dutch Diverticular Disease Collaborative Study Group. This study group is a cooperation of the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Kennemer Hospital Haarlem, Meander Medical Center Amersfoort, Saint Lucas Andreas Hospital Amsterdam aiming to deliver evidence in the form of both retrospective and prospective studies to end these persisting controversies.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
Awarding Institution |
|
Supervisors/Advisors |
|
Thesis sponsors | |
Award date | 11 Apr 2013 |
Place of Publication | Enschede |
Publisher | |
Print ISBNs | 978-94-6108-426-2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 11 Apr 2013 |
Keywords
- Diverticulitis