Diverticulum

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 14 Jul 2023

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. The terms 'diverticuli' and 'diverticulae' are erroneous and should not be used (cf. septum).

True diverticula
False diverticula
  • does not contain all layers (typically mucosa pushed through defect in muscular layer)

  • the vast majority of all diverticula

  • e.g. colonic diverticulum

The gastric diverticulum may be true diverticula (congenital) or false diverticula (acquired)4.

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

Pulsion diverticula
Traction diverticula

See also

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