| Obligatory | Must not donate if: a) Has symptoms of diverticulitis. b) Less than seven days from completing systemic antibiotic treatment. |
| Discretionary | If the donor has no symptoms other than mild abdominal pain or constipation, accept. |
| See if Relevant | Endoscopy Infection - General Investigations Stoma Surgery |
| Additional Information | Diverticula are pouches sticking out of the side of the large bowel (colon). They become more common as a person ages (50% of people have them by the age of 50, and 70% by the age of 80). Often they are an incidental finding when the large bowel is examined. This is known as diverticulosis and is not a problem. About a quarter of people who have diverticula have symptoms and this is known as diverticular disease. Symptoms are commonly related to pain and constipation but the condition can lead to infection (diverticulitis) and bleeding. Some people may require surgery. |
| Reason for change | This is a new entry. The previous entry on diverticulosis did not deal with any of the complications of diverticular disease. |
| Donor Information | If you wish to obtain more information regarding a personal medical issue please contact your National Help Line. Please do not contact this web site for personal medical queries, as we are not in a position to provide individual answers. |