Word: diverticulum
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...diverticulum (Latin for a small bypath) of the large bowel is a little pouch or sac formed by pressure inside the gut, forcing the inner layer (mucosa) through a weak spot in the outer, muscular layers. It may be no bigger than a BB shot, or it may be the size of a plum with a stalklike neck. If the neck is extremely narrow, fecal matter forced into the diverticulum will stay there, setting up an ever-present threat of infection and making the condition harder to detect since the barium used to get X-ray contrast may not penetrate...
...last 15 inches, known as the sigmoid colon be cause it bends in an S shape from the lower end of the descending colon to the upper part of the rectum. Most of the sigmoid colon is in the left lower quarter of the body. When a diverticulum becomes inflamed (diverticulitis), the symptoms suggest "left-sided appendicitis." Symptoms usually include diarrhea, gas distension and pain...
...diagnostician's biggest concern is to distinguish an acutely inflamed diverticulum from cancer of the colon, and this was especially important in Dulles' case since he had had a 1¾-in. piece of cancerous tissue removed from the large bowel two years ago. The danger of recurrence was, of course, great. Fortunately, in most cases, X rays taken after a barium enema show a distinctive picture of one or the other. In Dulles' case there was a characteristic, unmistakable diverticulum...
Peace & Quiet. With no sign of recurring cancer, and no indication that Dulles' diverticulum had perforated (which would spill the bowel contents into the abdominal cavity, set up a life-threatening infection), the doctors saw no need for surgery. They gave Dulles antibiotics to knock out the infection in the diverticulum and an antispasmodic to keep the gut still, put him on a low-residue diet to reduce its work. Beyond that, all the Secretary needed was bed rest and some unwonted peace and quiet...