Background
: Diverticular disease of the colon is common in western population, but rare in oriental population. Recently there is increasing tendency in the incidence of the diverticular disease in Korea because of change the diet pattern and development in the diagnostic method. The purpose of this study is to analyze clinical characteristics in diverticular disease of the colon.

Methods : We experienced 28 cases of diverticular disease of the colon from March 1991 to July 1994 at the Department of Surgery, Seoul Christian General Hospital. We study to the age and sex distribution, symptoms and signs, preoperative and postoperative diagnosis, location and number of diverticulum, operation method and postoperative complications.

Results : The peak incidence of age group was 3rd to 4th decade. The ratio between male and female was 6:1. The most frequent symptoms and signs were RLQ pain and tenderness. The preoperative diagnosis were acute appendicitis in 75.0% and peritonitis in 14.3%. The methods of surgical treatment were right hemicolectomy in 11 cases, diverticulectomy and appendectomy in 9 cases, appendectomy in 4 cases and others. The most common location of diverticulum was cecum in 19 cases. The ratio between right side diveticulum and left side diverticulum was 12.5:1(p<0.05). The number of diverticulum was 14 cases in solitary type and 14 cases in multiple type. The postoperative complications were wound infection in 1 case, pneumonia in 1 case, postoperative partial intestinal obstruction in 1 case and others. There was no postoperative mortality.

Conclusion : When suspected acute appendicitis, we must rule out the colonic diverticulitis. After the confirmation of the number and location of diverticulum through the preoperative barium enema as possible, the excision of diverticulum should be done. During the operation for the acute appendicitis, compared the clinical symptoms and signs to the operative findings. If disconcorded, we whave to explore the diverticulum and then excision of the diverticulum shoud be done. The residual diverticulum can confirm through postoperative barium enema.

Background
: Acute appendicitis is a common disease which needs surgical treatment among acute abdomen, but the specific sutdy is applied very seldom because of emergency operation neccessity. Therefore this study was carried out to find out a way of help for preoperative diagnosis and treatment of this diseases, to analyze intestinal diseases except appendicitis among operation cases of appendicitis preoperatively.

Methods : For 3 years from August 1990 to July 1993, we reviewed clinical reports which 25 cases of intestinal diseases among 881 cases of performed operation under preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and analyzed sex and age distribution, complete blood count, disease distribution, postoperative diagnosis, operative method, pathologic diagnosis and postoperative progress.

Results : The age distribution shows that 4th decade is the highest incidence, and male and female ratio is about 5 to 1. We cannot find any differences between these intestinal diseases and appendicitis in symptom, physical examination and leukocyte count. The mean duration of symptom was 6.1 day that is longer than acute appendicitis. Benign diseases were dominant, and cecal diverticulitis was the highest, and others such as cecal tuberculosis, cecal inflammatory mass, cecal cancer, Meckel's diverticulum, appendix carcinoid tumor, appendix mucocele and appendix cancer were found.

Conclusion : If the 4th decade male patient who were suggested acute appendicitis and duration of symptom is longer than that, detailed history taking with radiologic approach must be taken with a deep concern. It must be considered diverticulitis in 4th decade and malignant disease as well in over the 5th decade. When the opinion is different from clinical symptom before operation and findings in operation, more careful stances are essential for trying to find out other intestine with doubt.