Diverticulitis Treatments

Medications

Antibiotics and other drugs are given to fight the infection. Pain medications and drugs are given to decrease the abdominal pain.

Fluids

For mild inflammation, you can drink clear liquids for the first two to three days. For a more severe case, you will be admitted to the hospital, where fluids are given intravenously (IV). Antibiotics will be given to you through IV. If you have nausea and vomiting, a plastic tube may be inserted through your nose into your stomach. This will help with the vomiting and make you feel more comfortable.

Preventive Care

Changes in your diet can help prevent future attacks.

• Increase the amount of fiber you eat by eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Supplement your diet with a fiber product, as recommended by your doctor
• Avoid laxatives, enemas, and narcotic medications that can lead to constipation

Surgery

Surgery to remove the section of the bowel with pouches may be recommended if:

• You have had multiple attacks during a two-year period
• A pouch breaks and the contents spread into the abdominal cavity (will require cleaning out the abdominal cavity)
• When surgery is done on an elective basis, the surgeon will remove part of the disease bowel and hook the normal bowel together

Surgery is also used to treat complications of diverticulitis, such as:

• Abscess—occurs if the infected pouch fills with pus
• Blocked bowel—scar tissue that forms and blocks movement of stool through the intestine
• Fistula—occurs if the infection spreads and colon tissue attaches to another organ, such as the bladder or the uterus/vagina

When surgery is done on an emergency basis, the surgeon will remove the diseased bowel. Because of the serious infection, the two ends of the bowel will not be hooked together. You will most likely end up with a piece of bowel coming out to your abdomen ( colostomy ). After a period of 6-12 weeks, the surgeon will go back and hook the bowel back together.