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(dÄ«'vÃ»r-tÄ­k'yÉ-lÉm) Plural diverticula. A pouch or sac branching out from a portion of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the large intestine. A diverticulum can occur as a normal structure, or it can be caused by a hernia.
Diverticula occur throughout the gut, but by far the most common and most important are those that occur in the colon. The diverticula discussed herein are colonic diverticula. Their importance is frequently misunderstood. A gut diverticulum (singular) is an outpouching of the wall of the gut to form a sac. Diverticula (plural) may occur at any level from esophagus to colon. A true diverticulum includes all three layers of the gut; the lining mucosa, the muscularis, and the outer serosa. False diverticula are missing the muscularis and are therefore very thin walled. Colonic diverticula are typically false.