The medical treatment of diverticulitis is discussed, including its incidence, stages,
and presentation, as are the antibiotic and dietary therapies currently recommended
for this disease. Because diverticulitis can be a challenge to treat, several pitfalls
are listed in this discussion, including diverticulitis in the immunocompromised,
in the young, and in patients who do not have true diverticulitis but who present
with some signs and symptoms of the disease.
KEYWORDS
Diverticulosis - diverticulitis - irritable bowel syndrome - antibiotics - high-fiber
diet
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David R WellingM.D.
Departments of Surgery and Anatomy, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda
MD 20814-4799
Email: dwelling@usuhs.mil