Saint’s triad defines the association of diverticular disease, hiatus hernia, and gallstones in a patient.
The triad is based on data from the literature which shows a relative high association of the three diseases – 14% of patients with hiatal hernia also had gallstones and diverticular disease.
The clinical significance of this triad is that when a patient with hiatal hernia is found to have either gallstones or diveticulosis, there is a high chance that the third disease is also present.
Reference: Palmer ED. Am J Dig Dis. 1955; 22: 314.