clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Chronic diverticulitis exactly mimics the local clinical features of carcinoma of the colon:
- there may be diarrhoea alternating with constipation which progresses to large bowel obstruction with vomiting, distension, colicky abdominal pain and constipation - note that small bowel obstruction from adhesion of a loop of small intestine to the inflammatory mass is not uncommon.
- there may be episodes of pain in the left iliac fossa, and more rarely pain elsewhere in the abdomen
- passage of mucus, profuse bright red blood per rectum or melaena
- anaemia due to chronic occult bleeding
Examination reveals tenderness in the left iliac and there is often a thickened mass in the region of the sigmoid colon that may also be felt on rectal examination.