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Diverticulitis

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Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery

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Abstract

Diverticular disease is one of the most common causes of abdominal pain in the Western world. In addition, it appears to be increasing in incidence and demonstrates an age-dependent distribution. For example, diverticulosis affects only 5 % of people age 40, but can be found in two-thirds of adults by age 85 [1]. Approximately 20 % of patients with diverticulosis will suffer from at least one episode of diverticulitis. In fact, the prevalence of diverticulitis across all age groups in the United States is 60 per 100,000 [2]. Over a 7-year period from 1998 to 2005, Etzioni et al. demonstrated a 26 % increase in hospital admissions secondary to diverticulitis. In this study, the largest increase (82 %) was in the youngest cohort of patients age 18–44 [3]. The etiology for this increase is unknown, but may be related to dietary considerations. A gender predilection for diverticulitis has been demonstrated in some studies, but not duplicated in others [1, 4]. Obesity has been implicated but these findings have been inconsistent as well. In contrast, geographic patterns have been firmly established. While diverticular disease is predominately left sided (98.5 %) in Western societies, it is much more common on the right (70 %) in Asia [5].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Methodist Hospital of Dallas, 221 W. Colorado Blvd, Pav 2, Suite 425, Dallas, TX, 75208, USA

    Michael S. Truitt M.D., F.A.C.S.

  2. Department of Surgery, Methodist Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA

    Anand Lodha M.D.

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  1. Michael S. Truitt M.D., F.A.C.S.
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  2. Anand Lodha M.D.
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Correspondence to Michael S. Truitt M.D., F.A.C.S. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science Center, Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Health, 6431 Fannin Street, MSB 4.292, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Laura J. Moore

  2. The Methodist Hospital, Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, 6550 Fannin St, SM 1661A, Houston, 77030, Texas, USA

    Krista L. Turner

  3. School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, New York University, 550 First Avenue, New Bellevue 15 East 9, New York, 10016, New York, USA

    S. Rob Todd

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Truitt, M.S., Lodha, A. (2013). Diverticulitis. In: Moore, L., Turner, K., Todd, S. (eds) Common Problems in Acute Care Surgery. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6123-4_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6123-4_26

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