Long-term steroids and an extensive diverticular abscess

The authors report a case of a 70-year-old lady who was on steroids for over 40 years for asthma and presented with a subcutaneous abscess related to diverticular disease of the colon. This case illustrates how steroids can mask the disease process and also highlights that diverticular abscess perforation is one of the many complications of corticosteroid therapy.