diverticulum

Diverticula are outpouchings of a hollow viscus and can be either true or false.

Occasionally a diverticulum is used in a more general sense to mean the outpouching of other anatomical structures, e.g. frontal intersinus septal cells are hypothesized to form as diverticula from the frontal sinus.

Diverticulum is the singular form and diverticula is the correct Latin plural form. 'Diverticuli' and 'diverticulae' are erroneous and should not be used (cf. septum).

True diverticula

• contains all layers of the wall of the parent organ (typically mucosa, muscular layer and serosa)
• uncommon
• e.g. Meckel diverticulum

False diverticula

• does not contain all layers (typically mucosa pushed though defect in muscular layer)
• the vast majority of all diverticula
• e.g. colonic diverticulum

Additionally diverticula may be subdivided according to mechanism of formation into:

Pulsion diverticula

• due to increased luminal pressure
• common
• e.g. Zenker diverticulum, colonic diverticulum

Traction diverticula

• due to pulling of the wall of the viscus
• uncommon
• e.g. tracheal diverticulum

Siehe auch:

• Trachealdivertikel
• Zenker-Divertikel
• Meckel-Divertikel
• Kolondivertikulose

und weiter:

• Magendivertikel
• duodenal filling defects
• diverticulum of the caecum
• kolovesikale Fistel