Natural history of diverticular disease of the colon. A review of 521 cases.

In a survey of the natural history of 521 patients with diverticular disease of the colon half of the patients had had symptoms for less than one month on presentation at hospital, and these carried the highest morbidity and mortality. Progression of the disease was usually within segments initially involved, and extension to other regions of the colon rarely occurred. The overall prognosis of patients with total colonic involvement was similar to those with localized disease, while the morbidity and mortality associated with a recurrent attack were higher than in the initial acute episode.