A 75-year-old patient has been admitted to the hospital with diverticulitis. He reports that he was diagnosed with something similar many years ago, but this is the first time he was ever required to be admitted to the hospital.
Based on your knowledge of the gastrointestinal system, what is the most likely initial diagnosis that this patient had? How does this diagnosis differ from his current admitting diagnosis? Discuss the potential treatment for both these disorders
What is the most likely initial diagnosis?
The gentleman was most likely diagnosed with diverticulosis. According to Grossman and Porth (2014), diverticulosis is a condition that occurs in the distal descending and sigmoid colon most often. Diverticulosis is the presence of diverticula or sacs in the large intestine that are a result of muscular hyperactivity (Black’s Medical Dictionary, 2010). The diverticula occur as a result of a weakening of the intestinal wall. Grossman and Porth state factors that contribute to the development of diverticula include, poor intake of dietary fiber, poor bowel habits, decreased physical activity, and the effects of aging. According to Grossman and Porth, diverticular disease affects approximately 40% of the population by age 60 and 60% of the population by age 80 (Grossman & Porth, 2014, p. 1192).
How does diverticulitis differ from diverticulosis?
According to Grossman and Porth (2014), diverticulitis is a complication of the condition diverticulosis. Grossman and Porth state individuals with diverticulosis are asymptomatic. Grossman and Porth explain the individuals who experience symptoms of diverticulosis have ill-defined lower abdominal pain, a change in bowel habits, bloating, and flatulence.
Grossman and Porth state t...
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Grossman, S. C., & Porth, C. M. (2014). Porth’s Pathophysiology: Concepts of altered health states (9th ed.). Retrieved from https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/9781469871639/pages/107746227
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Meckel’s diverticulum is a common congenital anomaly of the small intestine occurring in up to 3% of the population, typically 55 cm from the ileocecal valve. Surgical resection is indicated for complicated Meckel’s diverticulum (MD). Most reported
Walker, H. (1990). Chapter 93Inspection, Auscultation, Palpation, and Percussion of the Abdomen. In Clinical methods: The history, physical, and laboratory examinations (3rd ed.). Boston:
•The specialist Richard should go visit to have an evaluation due to the predicaments he encounters with his colon & rectum is a proctologist generally diagnosing such areas also identifying symptoms occurring in the following organs: colon, rectum, & anus.
Spivak, W.K., & deSouza, J.M. (2008). Diverticulitis of the right colon. Digestive diseases and sciences. 49: 350-358
The patient is a 75-year-old female who is brought to the ER because of some dizziness. She has a very complicated medical history of mitral valve prolapse, uterine fibromas having hysterectomy, a question of Ménière's disease, anxiety, hypertension, asthma, CVA in 1994 with mild right-sided residual weakness, urethral stenosis, recurrent UTIs, pulmonary embolism, and idiopathic afib she did presyncopal developed Equinox, a history of diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. The patient is admitted inpatient. It is to be noted initially there is a question of a syncopal episode. Troponins are negative. She is dehydrated with urinary specific gravity of 10:30, and she has positive nitrates and leukocytes. She was initially placed in the emergency
Diverticular disease is a disease that is caused by the low amount of fiber consumption, straining of bowel movements, and constipation that occurs over a long period of time (Peaston). The straining of bowel movements can cause small pouches or sacs called diverticula to form, which is called colonic diverticulosis. A person is not diagnosed with diverticular disease when diverticula forms in their colon, but when the diverticula causes lower abdominal pain (Peaston). 10 to 25 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with diverticular disease developed diverticulitis, a more serious stage of diverticular disease (Meerscharet). Diverticulitis occurs when the diverticula is infected by bacteria or is inflamed and requires immediate medical surgery (Peaston).
A 57-year-old female presents to her physician with changes in her bowel habits for the past few weeks. The patient reveals that she usually has soft bowel movements once a day. However, she has started passing pellet-like stools that alternate with loose stools. Her current symptoms are associated with sense of bloating and abdominal fullness. The patient denies seeing blood in her stool, weight loss, low-grade fever, a family history of colorectal cancer, or previous colon cancer screening. Abdominal examination reveals normal bowel sounds, no tenderness to palpation, and no evidence of a mass. Rectal examination is normal, and stool is negative for occult blood. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the management of
Seeing a doctor is recommended if there is a persistent change in the bowel behaviors because it can turn into a serious disease that needs to be addressed before deadly conditions take effect. The Mayo Clinic says, “One possible cause is an immune system malfunction. When your immune system tries to fight off an invading virus or bacterium, an abnormal immune response causes the immune system to attack the cells in the digestive tract” (Staff, 2014). This means an immune system, which protects the body from foreign substances, that is not properly working will cause problems in the digestive system. The digestive system is where ingested food turns into nutrients and waste. This happens because it does not have the strength to fight off bacteria and virus’. Heredity can be part of the cause because it is more common in those who have family members experiencing the
Porth, C. (2009). Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States (8th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
You arrive on scene at a brown house with lights on and door open. To a patient that skin is pink warm (normal). Blood pressure 112/76 and pulse 61. Pupils are Equal and reactive, patent airway, says hurts to breath in once in a while. He says the pain has been radiating from his back, then side, then inner thigh/abdomen area for 2 weeks or so. No vomiting or nausea, no allergies, takes vitamins every day, fish oil. No meds, no pertinent past history, ate a tuna sandwich earlier that day with some red bull. The pain has just been generally getting worse for the past 2 weeks. He thought he pulled a muscle during
Diverticular disease is very rampant in America. By the age of 60 one third of Americans will have acquired this condition, and by the age of 85 two thirds. This makes the condition one of the most common in the United States. There are few symptoms until it develops into diverticulitis, a condition in which there is pain and bleeding inside the large intestine.
Although the cause is unknown, diverticulosis is associated with a low fiber diet, constipation, and frequent straining with bowel movements. Constipation causes increased pressure inside your colon, which may cause the mucosa and submucosa to herniate through a weakened wall of your colon and form
This was his second episode since 10 days ago where he develop the same pain at his right flank. He suddenly experienced severe pain 8 hours before admission when the pain shifts to his right lower quadrant of his abdomen. The onset is at 6.30 am before worsening at 10 p.m to 2 p.m. He described the pain as continuous sharp pain and gradually increased in severity. There is no radiation of the pain. The pain was exaggerated on movement and touch. There were no relieving factor and he scale the severity as 7/10. He experienced fever for 1 day prior to admission. It was a mild grade continuous fever. He does not experienced chills and rigor. The patient does not experience any nausea or vomiting, no dysphagia, no pain during micturition and no alteration in bowel habit. He experienced loss of appetite but not notice any weight loss.
Appendicitis is a condition in which the appendix is swollen, inflamed, and filled with pus. Appendicitis can strike at any age of a person’s life, and once it does, the appendix must be removed. Appendicitis has two main causes: infection and obstruction. Infection caused
Many western societies have diverticulitis as a disease with the highest incidence, associated with gastrointestinal tract (Vermeulen et al., 2010, p. 651). A research explains that a complicated diverticulitis, which Mr Walker had, is “a diverticular inflammation associated with an abscess, phlegmon, fistula, obstruction, bleeding, or perforation” (Wilkins, Embry & George, 2013, p. 612). The causes of diverticulitis are poorly understood. Obesity, aging and low dietary fiber consumptions are considered as risk factors for diverticulitis (Templeton & Strate, 2013). Hospital admission is considered if patients have complicated diverticulitis. Nursing management for the patients includes intravenous fluid resuscitation and intravenous