日本の消化管憩室症

Gastrointestinal Diverticulosis in Japan

　消化管憩室症は，食道から直腸まで発生する可能性がある．そして，単発性から多発性，型も真性，仮性とあり，その発生部位によりいろいろと異なった様相を呈している．そして欧米人と日本人では，その性質，発生部位，重症度など必ずしも同一ではない．ただ最近，日本でも生活の西欧化につれて欧米人と同じように憩室症に悩む時代が到来するのではないかと案じている．

　昨年，シカゴの国際消化器外科学会の結腸憩室症のシンポジウムに出席の際，Welchが私に，“日本の結腸憩室症は大問題ではないであろう．しかし，米国では5歳の小児にも憩室が発生して，現在疫学的にも大問題であり，日本も近い将来同じような運命をたどるであろう”といったことを思い出す．このように，全世界的に，現在――さらに将来にかけて，憩室症は大きな問題であると思う．

　Diverticulosis of the digestive tract is reportedly less often encountered in Japan than in U. S. and European countries. However, in the Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical College, we have experienced so far diverticulosis of the esophagus in 289 cases, of the stomach in 33, of the duodenum in 533, of the small intestine in 6 and of the rectum in 270. This fact shows that gastrointestinal diverticulosis is now becoming not so rare an occurrence as has been considered. At present, since few serious complications have been encountered, we do not have many surgically treated cases. In the years ahead, however, more serious complications are expected to occur as in western countries. For this reason we have quoted from the literature abroad together with a description of our experienced cases of gastrointestinal diverticulosis to which special attention must be paid for.