In this episode, Charlie Andrews speaks to Melanie Orchard, a consultant surgeon, about diverticular disease and diverticulitis.  This is something that we encounter frequently in primary care, and understanding how to approach this condition is extremely important. 

Melanie discusses a really pragmatic approach to patients with symptoms suggestive of diverticulitis.  We discuss risk factors, presenting features, and how to assess the patient with suspected diverticulitis.  We also discuss the difference between diverticulosis, diverticular disease and diverticulitis, and give you useful tips on what advice to give to patients who has just had a colonoscopy showing that they have diverticulosis.  

For a useful visual summary of the management of patients with diverticulosis and diverticulitis, please follow this link: visual-summary-pdf-6968965213 (nice.org.uk)