Evaluation of the frequency of colon diverticula with lower gastrointestinal system endoscopy

Abstract

The patients are often elderly, presenting the symptoms, and fully recognizing the disease is difficult. It is sometimes confused with inflammatory bowel disease. Within the scope of this research, we aimed to elucidate the frequency of colon diverticulum in patients who underwent lower gastrointestinal endoscopy in our clinic. Demographic data and its relationship with the patient's height-weight-body mass index will also be evaluated. The medical files of 200 patients aged 18–90 years who underwent lower gastrointestinal system endoscopy in our institution have been retrospectively analyzed. The demographic details, age, gender, and results of endoscopy findings have been investigated with respect to detecting colon diverticulum. The presence of diverticula was observed in 7% of the patients (n=14), external hemorrhoids in 1% (n=2), internal hemorrhoids in 28% (n=56), and polyps in 21.5% (n=43). A statistically significant relationship was observed between the genders of the patients in terms of the presence of polyps (p<0.05). The distribution of clinical findings of the patients according to age and body mass index (BMI) did not reveal any statistically significant relationship. The prevalence of diverticulitis is increasing gradually with the aging population. We believe interval lower gastrointestinal system endoscopy remains a significant tool, especially after an acute attack, particularly after complicated diverticulitis, to rule out malignancy or advanced adenomata at the target site and the rest of the colon.