Diverticular Disease

The prevalence of perforated sigmoid diverticular disease in developed countries increased from 2.4/100,000 in 1986, to 3.8/100,000 in 2000. [2] Approximately 50% of all people have diverticula by the time they are 50 years of age, and nearly 70% of all people have diverticula by the time they are 80 years of age. [3] Approximately 75% of people with diverticula have asymptomatic diverticulosis; of the 25% of people with diverticula who develop symptomatic diverticular disease, approximately 75% will have at least one episode of diverticulitis. [3] Diverticular disease is rare in people younger than 40 years. [4] Disease is more virulent in young patients, with a high risk of recurrences or complications. The disorder is rare in rural Africa and Asia, with the highest prevalence seen in the USA, Europe, and Australia. The most common fistula is colovesicular and then colovaginal fistulas. Colo-enteric, colo-uterine, colo-ureteral and colocutaneous fistulas arise much less often.