Summary
Data from 40 admissions for bleeding diverticular disease have been compared with data from 40 admissions for diverticulitis. There was no evidence of diverticulitis at the time of bleeding, or of bleeding during an attack of diverticulitis. This is strong evidence that bleeding in diverticular disease is seldom related to diverticulitis. There was, however, a high incidence (64 per cent) of hypertension in the patients who bled, and these patients averaged about 10 years older than the others. The bleeding comes from anywhere in the colon and is not localized to the sigmoid like the usual inflammatory complications of diverticulitis. Two of the patients had small peridiverticular ulcers, which might have been the source of the bleeding, and in two other cases the bleeding was actually seen to be coming from the neck of an open diverticulum.
For the few cases in which the bleeding does not stop, we suggest subtotal colectomy without any attempt at localization of the bleeding point.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altman, P. L., and D. S. Dittmer: Biology Data Book. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 1964, AMRL-TR-64-100.
Dunning, M. W.: The clinical features of haemorrhage from diverticula of the colon. Gut,4: 273, 1963.
Marston, A., M. T. Pheils, M. L. Thomas,et al.: Ischaemic colitis. Gut,7: 1, 1966.
Paradny, R., and A. E. Kark: Massive hemorrhage in diverticular disease of the colon. Amer. J. Gastroent.47: 41, 1967.
Parks, T. G., A. H. Connell, A. D. Gough, and J. O. Y. Cole: Limitations of radiology in the differentiation of diverticulitis and diverticulosis of the colon. Brit. Med. J.2: 136, 1970.
Quinn, W. C.: Gross hemorrhage from presumed diverticular disease of the colon: Results of treatment in 103 patients. Ann. Surg.153: 851, 1961.
Quinn, W. C., and A. Ochsner: Bleeding as a complication of diverticulosis or diverticulitis of the colon. Amer. Surg.19: 397, 1953.
Rosenberg, I. K., and B. F. Rosenberg: Massive hemorrhage from diverticula of the colon, with demonstration of the source of bleeding: A case report. Ann. Surg.159: 570, 1964.
Salvati, E., B. H. Hyun, and C. F. Varga: Massive hemorrhage from colonic diverticula caused by arterial erosion: A practical theory of its mechanism and causation: Report of two cases. Dis. Colon Rectum,10: 129, 1967.
Ulin, A. W., I. H. Sokolic, and C. Thompson: Massive hemorrhage from diverticulitis of the colon. Ann. Intern. Med.50: 1395, 1959.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Read at the meeting of the American Proctologic Society, Las Vegas, Nevada, May 10 to 13, 1971.
About this article
Cite this article
Heald, R.J., Ray, J.E. Bleeding from diverticula of the colon. Dis Colon Rectum 14, 420–427 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02553463
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02553463