Diverticular Disease
Dr Aileen Yen has a particular interest in diverticular disease and studied an aspect of diverticular disease for her Master's of Surgery.
Diverticular disease is a very common problem in Western society. Due to low fibre diets, the colon has to work hard to shift the stool, resulting in our pouching. Its prevalence and incidence increases with age. 70 % of 70-year-olds will have diverticular disease.
Ten to twenty-five percent of patients with diverticular disease will present with an episode of acute diverticulitis. Most of the time, it can be managed with antibiotics. However, diverticulitis patients should have a colonoscopy to make sure there are no other abnormalities in the colon other than diverticulosis (out pouching).
A handful of patients will not settle with antibiotics and may need resection of the inflamed bowel. This may be happened in the elective or emergency setting. But either situation requires a comprehensive discussion with the surgeon.
Bowel Screening
Colorectal cancer is the third-commonest cancer affecting Australians. It can be screened by faecal occult blood test (FOB), and detected by colonoscopy. Early detection means early diagnosis and a better chance of cure of colorectal cancer.
Who Needs a Colonoscopy?
If your FOB test returns positive, then please contact your GP for a referral for colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is performed under a short period of sedation, and is done as a day procedure, with only a few hours spent in hospital. During the consultation, bowel preparation, risks, and benefits of the colonoscopy will be discussed.
Should you experience changes in bowel habit, witness back passage bleeding, unexplained weight loss, appetite changes, or lethargy, you should consult your GP for a referral to get a colonoscopy.
Those with a family history of colorectal cancer should also have regular colonoscopies, of which the recommended interval is 3–5 years.
Benign Perianal Disease
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