A 42-year-old woman in Long An was rushed to the hospital due to a perforated colon diverticulum, a symptom common among Vietnamese people.

GĐXH - A woman with a perforated colonic diverticulum has been experiencing persistent lower abdominal pain for over 7 months, with a palpable mass in the lower left abdomen. She has consulted many doctors but has not received an accurate diagnosis.

Recently, doctors at Xuyen A General Hospital announced that they had successfully performed surgery to remove a perforated section of the sigmoid colon, completely resolving the rare disease for a woman who had been battling it for nearly a year.

The patient, Ms. HT L (42 years old, Long An ), had been experiencing persistent lower abdominal pain for over 7 months and felt a lump in her lower left abdomen. Despite visiting several doctors, she received no proper diagnosis and only medication, which proved ineffective. She then sought treatment at Xuyen A General Hospital.

Doctors successfully performed an endoscopy on a patient with a perforated sigmoid colon diverticulum. (Photo: Hospital provided)

At the General Surgery Department, doctors palpated a painful, swollen mass measuring 4cm in the left iliac fossa. A CT scan revealed an abdominal wall abscess, and a colonoscopy showed rectal ulceration. The patient was diagnosed with a perforated sigmoid colon diverticulum leaking into the abdominal wall, combined with a rectovaginal fistula, considered a rare case.

What is noteworthy about this patient's case is that the clinical manifestations were atypical, making it easy for doctors to overlook the disease, leading to a difficult diagnosis. Therefore, for almost a year now, despite the patient having consulted many doctors, the disease has not been effectively resolved.

After consultation, the doctors planned a laparoscopic sigmoidectomy for the patient.

After the surgery, the patient's abdominal pain subsided, they resumed normal eating and living activities, and were discharged after 7 days of treatment.

What are colonic diverticula?

The large intestine (or colon) is the final part of the digestive system, measuring 1.5-1.8 meters in length. Its function is to reabsorb water and vitamins, transform remaining food into feces, and expel them through the anus.

When we don't eat enough fiber, stool becomes dry and hard, making it difficult to pass. Therefore, the colon has to contract more to increase pressure and expel stool. This increases colonic pressure, and the lining of the colon wall may be pushed outward through the intestinal wall. This forms small pouches called diverticula, ranging in size from 1-2 cm or more.

Colonic diverticula typically protrude around the mucosal wall and appear in various locations throughout the colon, but most commonly in the sigmoid colon.

Colonic diverticula can appear in various locations. (Illustrative image)

Are colonic diverticula dangerous?

Normally, colonic diverticula are not dangerous to patients, but this condition can still cause many health risks such as:

- Diverticulitis : In a normal state, people with colonic diverticula will not have clinical symptoms. However, when inflamed, patients will show signs such as: pain in the left abdomen, bloating, gas, loose stools or constipation, rectal bleeding, fever, loss of appetite, and nausea...

- Hemorrhage : When the inflammation worsens, the blood vessels in the diverticula may rupture. This manifests as the patient experiencing bloody stools.

- Colonic diverticulum perforation : Diverticulum perforation is a rare but particularly dangerous complication because it can cause abdominal infection. To treat this complication, the patient needs to undergo surgery promptly.

Ways to prevent the formation of colon diverticula

- Increase your fiber intake: You need to increase your consumption of green vegetables and fruits to supplement your body with fiber. This will help your digestive system and colon function better.

- Supplementing with nutritious foods : In addition to fiber, we need to supplement with other nutrients such as protein, healthy fats, and other essential nutrients.

- Use fresh food : You should use fresh food instead of processed foods. Pay attention to the origin of the food to ensure you choose food that is safe for your digestive health.

- Drink plenty of water : This is very important for preventing diseases related to the digestive system.

- Adopt a healthy lifestyle : In parallel with the solutions above, you also need to adopt a healthy lifestyle such as: exercising regularly; avoiding alcohol and tobacco; and having regular health checkups 1-2 times a year.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/nguoi-phu-nu-42-tuoi-o-long-an-nhap-vien-gap-vi-thung-tui-thua-dai-trang-tu-dau-hieu-nhieu-nguoi-viet-mac-phai-172241210121649742.htm