Diverticulum

• Abnormal outpouching of a hollow visucs into surrounding tissues

Classification

1. True and False
   • True: all components of the viscus (tend to be congenital)
   • False: Only part of wall represented (tend to be acquired) - eg. sigmoid colon diverticulum, pharyngeal diverticulum through Killian's dehiscence between thryopharyngeus and cricopharyngeus msucles (components of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor)
2. Congenital or acquired
   • Eg. Meckel's diverticulum - 2inches long, 2ft from ileocaecal valve, 2% population#
   • Duodenal diverticula
3. Pulsation and traction

Complications

1. General
   • Inflammation
   • Haemorrhage
   • Perforation
2. Function
   • Ectopic secretion of peptic acid, as in Meckel's diverticulum
   • "Blind loop" syndrome - causing vitamin deficiencies secondary to bacterial overgrowth
3. Cellular
   • Metaplasia, as a bladder diverticulum
   • Malignant change as in bladder diverticula