Stomach, Forestomach - Diverticulum

Diverticula are more common in the forestomach than in the glandular stomach but can occur from the esophagus to the colon. Diverticula are congenital defects characterized by out-pouchings of a portion of the wall in which the normal cell types are present. The wall and lumen of a diverticulum are continuous with the wall and lumen of the forestomach (Figure 1 and Figure 2), although the communication between them is not always visible (Figure 2). Diverticula are occasionally misdiagnosed as a adenomas, but diverticula lack many of the features of neoplasms, such as a mass-like proliferation of cells, cellular atypia, and loss of normal architecture. Diverticula may become impacted with food, ulcerate, become locally inflamed, and eventually perforate, leading to abscess formation. Diverticula are considered incidental lesions.