View source for Diverticulum

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A '''diverticulum''' (plural: ''diverticula'') is [[medicine|medical]] or [[biology|biological]] term for an outpouching of a hollow (or a fluid filled) structure in the body. 

In medicine the term usually implies that the structure is not normally present, i.e., pathological. However, in the [[embryo|embryonic]] stage, some normal structures begin development as a diverticulum arising from another structure.

An alphabetical listing of some frequently encountered diverticula follows:

==Anatomical==
*Guttural Pouch: A large (300-500 ml), paired, air-filled ventral diverticulum of the auditory tube found in horses and other Perissodactyla.

==Pathological==
*[[Bladder diverticulum]]: Balloon-like growths on the bladder commonly associated with a chronic outflow obstruction, such as [[benign prostatic hyperplasia]] in older males. Usually found in pairs on opposite sides of the bladder, bladder diverticula are often surgically removed to prevent infection, rupture, or even cancer.
* Cardiac diverticulum: A very rare congenital malformation of the heart that is usually benign <ref>{{cite web | last=Vazquez-Jimenez | first=Dr. Jaime | url=http://www.orpha.net/data/patho/Pro/en/CardiacDiverticulum-FRenPro3437.pdf | title=Cardiac diverticulum | year=2003 | publisher= Orphanet Encyclopedia | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>
*Colonic diverticula: These can become infected (see [[diverticulitis]]) and can perforate, requiring surgery[[Image:Diverticula, sigmoid colon.jpg|thumb|Large bowel (sigmoid colon) showing multiple diverticula. Note how the diverticula appear on either side of the longitudinal muscle bundle (taenium).]]
*[[Diverticulum of Kommerell]]: unusual nomenclature, in that focal dilatations of a blood vessel are properly referred to as aneurysms
*Duodenal & Jejunal diverticul(um|a): congenital lesions, may be a source of bacterial overgrowth, may perforate and may result in abscesses
*Epiphrenic diverticulum: due to dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter, as in [[achalasia]]
*[[Gastric diverticulae]] - "Although usually asymptomatic, they may cause vague [[epigastric]] pain. These lesions may be confused radiologically for [[gastric ulcers]] or cancers. [[Endoscopically]], they may be confused for [[paraesophageal hernias]]."<ref>{{cite doi|10.1007/BF00188296}}</ref>
*[[Killian-Jamieson diverticulum]]
*[[Meckel's diverticulum]]: a persistent portion of the [[Vitelline duct|omphalomesenteric duct]] present in 2% of the population
*[[Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses]]: in the [[gallbladder]] due to chronic [[cholecystitis]] 
*Traction esophageal diverticulum: due to scarring from mediastinal or pulmonary tuberculosis
*Urethral diverticulum: congenital in males, post-infectious in females
*[[Zenker's diverticulum]]: a diverticulum of the mucosa of the pharynx affecting adults

Most of these pathological types of diverticulum are capable of harboring an [[enterolith]].  If the enterolith stays in place, it may cause no problems, but a large enterlith expelled from a diverticulum into the [[lumen]] can cause obstruction (see [[Enterolith]]).

==Embryological==
*The [[Kidneys]], originally diverticula in the [[development of the urinary and reproductive organs]]
*The [[lungs]], originally diverticula forming off of the ventral foregut.
*The thymus appears in the form of two flask-shape diverticula, which arise from the third branchial pouch (pharyngeal pouch)of the endoderm.

==Footnotes==
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[[Category:Medical terms]]

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