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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 are most common in the lower portion of the large intestine, called the sigmoid colon. When the pouches become inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis. Ten to 25 percent of people with diverticulosis get diverticulitis. Diverticulosis and diverticulitis together are called diverticular disease..