[Diverticular disease. Pathology and clinical aspects based on 368 autopsy cases]

There were found 368 cases (4.5 percent) of diverticulosis of the intestine based on 8124 autopsies in the years of 1979 till 1988 with regard to their localisation, complications and accompanied diseases. In 174 of 368 cases clinical files could be examined and integrated in the evaluation. Sigmoid diverticula were most frequently followed from duodenal diverticula chiefly in the immediate vicinity of the "Papilla of Vateri". Constipation, stomachache, haemorrhoids and spasm of the anal sphincter were typical complaints. One during lifetime known diverticulosis was noted only approximately half on the autopsy application as a second disease. The autopsy results a complication of diverticula (mostly with a peritonitis) in 39 percent as the primary cause of death. Most frequently complication was a diverticulitis (in 16.8 percent refer to the total number). Arteriosclerosis, hypertension and/or diabetes (so called "civilization diseases") were in the main accompanied diseases, which were found too. Surgical intervention took place principal under suspicion of malignoma or as an "acute abdomen". Non-characteristic complaints (protraction by the physician) and the ignorance of the illness among the population (protraction by the patients) are disadvantageous to the identification of the diverticulosis. Because the diverticulosis as a disease of the economic developed countries represents a growing problem ought to direct more attention to prevention, which consists in application of food rich in ballast-substances and the treatment of the constipation.