Colonic diverticulosis is a common disease in the elderly, often without symptoms. Hemorrhagic complications occur due to rupture of a blood vessel in the colonic diverticulum. Fresh blood flows out of the anus or sometimes dark, mahogany-colored stools when bleeding occurs in the right colonic diverticulum.

Colonic diverticula are a common condition in older adults and often cause no symptoms unless the diverticula become inflamed, a condition known as colonic diverticulitis.