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Management of diverticular abscess (DA) is still controversial. Antibiotic therapy is indicated in abscesses ≤ 4 cm, while percutaneous drainage/surgery in abscesses > 4 cm. The study aims to assess the role of antibiotics and surgical treatments in patients affected by DA. We retrospectively analyzed 100 consecutive patients with DA between 2013 and 2020, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. They were divided into two groups depending on abscess size ≤ or > 4 cm (group 1 and group 2, respectively). All patients were initially treated with intravenous antibiotics. Surgery was considered in patients with generalized peritonitis at admission or after the failure of antibiotic therapy. The primary endpoint was to compare recurrence rates for antibiotics and surgery. The secondary endpoint was to assess the failure rate of each antibiotic regimen resulting in surgery. In group 1, 31 (72.1%) patients were conservatively treated and 12 (27.9%) underwent surgery. In group 2, percentages were respectively 50.9% (29 patients) and 49.1% (28 patients). We observed 4 recurrences in group 1 and 6 in group 2. Recurrence required surgery in 3 patients/group. We administered amoxicillin-clavulanic acid to 74 patients, piperacillin-tazobactam to 14 patients and ciprofloxacin + metronidazole to 12 patients. All patients referred to surgery had been previously treated with amoxicillin-Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation clavulanic acid. No percutaneous drainage was performed in a hundred consecutive patients. Surgical treatment was associated with a lower risk of recurrence in patients with abscess > 4 cm, compared to antibiotics. Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid was associated with a higher therapeutic failure rate than piperacillin-tazobactam/ciprofloxacin + metronidazole.

Background Immunocompromised patients with acute diverticulitis are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to compare clinical presentations, types of treatment, and outcomes between immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients with acute diverticulitis. Methods We compared the data of patients with acute diverticulitis extracted from the Web-based International Registry of Emergency Surgery and Trauma (WIRES-T) from January 2018 to December 2021. First, two groups were identified: medical therapy (A) and surgical therapy (B). Each group was divided into three subgroups: nonimmunocompromised (grade 0), mildly to moderately (grade 1), and severely immunocompromised (grade 2). Results Data from 482 patients were analyzed—229 patients (47.5%) [M:F = 1:1; median age: 60 (24–95) years] in group A and 253 patients (52.5%) [M:F = 1:1; median age: 71 (26–94) years] in group B. There was a significant difference between the two groups in grade distribution: 69.9% versus 38.3% for grade 0, 26.6% versus 51% for grade 1, and 3.5% versus 10.7% for grade 2 (p p = 0.027) was more common in higher grades of immunodeficiency. Patients with grade 2 needed longer hospitalization (p = 0.005). In group B, a similar condition was found in terms of severe sepsis (p = 0.002), quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score > 2 (p = 0.0002), and Mannheim Peritonitis Index (p = 0.010). A Hartmann’s procedure is mainly performed in grades 1–2 (p p = 0.047). Mortality was higher in the immunocompromised patients (p = 0.002). Conclusions Immunocompromised patients with acute diverticulitis present with a more severe clinical picture. When surgery is required, immunocompromised patients mainly undergo a Hartmann’s procedure. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are, however, higher in immunocompromised patients, who also require a longer hospital stay.

Purpose/Background The role of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for the surgical treatment of diverticular disease is evolving. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of MIS colectomy to those of open surgery for patients with acute diverticulitis requiring urgent surgery. Methods The American college of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried for all patients undergoing an urgent colectomy for acute diverticulitis between 2013 and 2018. The patients were then divided into 2 groups: MIS and open. Baseline characteristics and short-term outcomes were compared using univariable and multivariable regression analyses. Results/Outcomes 3487 patients were included in the analysis. Of these, 1272 (36.5%) underwent MIS colectomy and 2215 (63.5%) underwent open colectomy. Patients undergoing MIS colectomy were younger (58.7 vs 61.9 years) and less likely to be American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification (ASA) III (52.5 vs 57.9%) or IV (6.3 vs 10.5%). After adjusting for baseline differences, the odds of mortality for MIS and open groups were similar. While there was no difference in short-term complications between groups, the odds of developing an ileus were lower following MIS colectomy (OR .61, 95% CI: .49, .76). Both total length of stay (LOS) (12.3 vs 13.9 days) and post-operative LOS (7.6 days vs 9.5 days) were shorter for MIS colectomy. Minimally invasive surgery colectomy added an additional 40 minutes of operative time (202.2 vs 160.1 min). Conclusion/Discussion Minimally invasive surgery colectomy appears to be safe for patients requiring urgent surgical management for acute diverticulitis. Decreased incidence of ileus and shorter LOS may justify any additional operative time for MIS colectomy in suitable candidates.

Acute diverticulitis is a common general surgical condition associated with significant costs and healthcare burden. It is unknown if rurality represents a barrier to healthcare and whether ethnic disparities exist in Northland, New Zealand. This study, therefore, aims to assess the impact of rurality and ethnicity on complexity, management, and outcomes in patients with acute diverticulitis.A retrospective observational study of all adults aged18 years admitted with acute diverticulitis to any Northland District Health Board hospital between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019 was performed. Diverticulitis complexity was assessed using the modified Hinchey classification. The primary outcome was the effect of rurality and ethnicity on complexity of diverticulitis. Multivariable logistic regression was performed.A total of 397 patients (mean age 60.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 13.8); 48.7% female) were included. Overall, 134 patients had complicated diverticulitis. Rurality nor distance from the hospital were not associated with complexity of diverticulitis or clinical outcomes (p 0.05). Maori patients presented younger than non-Maori (mean 51 vs. 63 years, p 0.001) but there was no difference in complications, management, or clinical outcomes (p 0.05). On multivariable analysis, rurality status and Maori ethnicity were not associated with more complicated diverticulitis.This study found that rurality and ethnicity were not significant predictors of the complexity of diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND The aim was to evaluate the relevance of pneumoperitoneum on the success rate of non-operative management (NOM) of patients with complicated acute diverticulitis (AD), and the risk factors associated with failure. METHODS Observational retrospective cohort study of patients attended at the emergency department for AD from January 2015-August 2019. Patient demographics, blood tests, radiological data and initial treatment strategies were registered. NOM, based on intravenous antibiotics (ATB) and bowel rest, was defined as unsuccessful when emergency surgery (ES) and/or infection-related death took place. Patients initially treated with ES were excluded. Analysis was done with the IBM SPSS statistics 23.0.0.2 software. RESULTS According to modified Hinchey and WSES criteria, 99 (12%) of 826 AD episodes were complicated, with pneumoperitoneum on the CT scan in 89 (90.5%). NOM was undertaken in 93 (94%) cases, with a 91.5% success rate. Multivariate analysis revealed ASA class III-IV, and the presence of fluid collections >3cm in diameter, but not distant free air, to be associated with NOM failure. However, the success rate of NOM was significantly higher in patients with pericolic pneumoperitoneum (98.5%) than in those with distant free air (80%) (p=0.02). Risk factors of NOM failure were an advanced age, high CRP and WBC values, and the presence of free fluid in >2 abdominal quadrants. CONCLUSIONS NOM in hemodynamically stable patients with complicated AD is a safe and feasible approach, even in the context of distant free air. Nevertheless, patients with isolated pericolic air did better in our series.

INTRODUCTION Although contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CEACT) is still considered the criterion standard for the assessment of suspected acute diverticulitis, in recent years, the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been spreading more and more in this setting. The aim of this study was to compare CEACT to POCUS for the diagnosis and staging of suspected acute diverticulitis. METHODS This is a prospective study conducted on 55 patients admitted to the emergency department of two Italian Hospitals with a clinical suspicion of acute diverticulitis between January 2014 and December 2017. All the patients included underwent POCUS first and CEACT immediately afterward, with the diagnosis and the staging reported according to the Hinchey (H) classification modified by Wasvary et al. [Wasvary H, Turfah F, Kadro O, Beauregard W. Same hospitalization resection for acute diverticulitis. Am Surg. 1999;65:632-635.] Three surgeons performed all the POCUS, and the same two radiologists retrospectively analyzed all the CEACT images. The radiologists were informed of the clinical suspicion but unaware of the POCUS findings. The CEACT was used as the criterion standard for the comparison. RESULTS The final cohort included 30 females (55%) and 25 males (45%). The median age was 62 years (range, 24-88 years), and the median body mass index was 26 kg/m2 (range, 19-42 kg/m2). Forty-six of 55 patients had a confirmed diagnosis of acute diverticulitis on both POCUS and CEACT, whereas, in 7 patients, the diagnosis was not confirmed by both methods. Point-of-care ultrasound sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 88%, respectively. Point-of-care ultrasound positive and negative predictive values were 98% and 88%, respectively. Point-of-care ultrasound accuracy was 96%. Point-of-care ultrasound classified 33 H1a, 11 H1b, 1 H2, and 1 H3 acute diverticulitis. This staging was confirmed in all patients but three (93%) by CEACT. CONCLUSION Point-of-care ultrasound appeared a reliable technique for the diagnosis and the staging of clinically suspected H1 and H2 acute diverticulitis. It could contribute in saving time and resources and in avoiding unnecessary radiation exposure to most patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Diagnostic test, level III.

A subset of patients who undergo colon resection for suspected diverticulitis will unexpectedly be found to have cancer. We hypothesized that a subset of variables could be used to help predict a diagnosis of cancer preoperatively.National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data (2012-2018) were used to identify all patients with a preoperative diagnosis of diverticulitis who had unexpected cancer using postoperative staging data. Key characteristics of the study groups were compared with χA total of 17,368 patients were identified with an operative indication of acute diverticulitis. Of these, 164 (0.94%) had an unexpected postoperative diagnosis of cancer. Most cancer patients had locally advanced tumors (T1-2: 15%; T3: 39%; T4: 45%), and 37.1% had positive lymph nodes. Rates of margin positivity and inadequate lymph node harvest were 1.2% and 15.9%, respectively. In bivariate analyses, cancer patients had increased age (P.01), decreased albumin (P.001), and increased rates of preoperative anemia (P = .01), sepsis (P.01), and weight loss (10% in 6 months) (P.001). The only variables significantly associated with cancer in multivariate regression analysis were sepsis (odds ratio 2.14, 95% confidence interval [1.3-3.6]; P.01), weight loss (odds ratio 2.31, 95% confidence interval [1.1-4.4]; P = .01), and preoperative albumin level (odds ratio 0.64, 95% confidence [0.45-0.92]; P.01).An unexpected postoperative diagnosis of cancer occurs in a small percentage of patients with suspected diverticulitis. Surgeons should have a high index of suspicion for cancer in patients with sepsis or malnutrition.

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) recently developed a classification system to standardize outcomes analyses for several emergency general surgery conditions. To highlight this system's full potential, we conducted a study integrating prospective AAST grade assignment within the electronic medical record.Our institution integrated AAST grade assignment into our clinical workflow in July 2018. Patients with acute diverticulitis were prospectively assigned AAST grades and modified Hinchey classes at the time of surgical consultation. Support vector machine-a machine learning algorithm attuned for small sample sizes-was used to compare the associations between the two classification systems and decision to operate and incidence of complications.67 patients were included (median age of 62 y, 40% male) for analysis. The decision for operative management, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit admission, and intensive care unit length of stay were associated with both increasing AAST grade and increasing modified Hinchey class (all P 0.001). AAST grade additionally showed a correlation with complication severity (P = 0.02). Compared with modified Hinchey class, AAST grade better predicted decision to operate (88.2% versus 82.4%).This study showed the feasibility of electronic medical record integration to support the full potential of AAST classification system's utility as a clinical decision-making tool. Prospectively assigned AAST grade may be an accurate and pragmatic method to find associations with outcomes, yet validation requires further study.

A 66 year-old female presented with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), severe left thigh pain, and localized edema. Non-contrast Computed Tomography (CT) suggested the presence of air in the left thigh and no evidence of an acute intra-abdominal process. Blood cultures grew an anaerobic gram-negative microorganism identified as Bacteroides fragilis. Repeat CT imaging with intravenous (IV) contrast revealed acute diverticulitis and the presence of a retroperitoneal abscess with extension to the thigh muscle. Along with antimicrobial therapy, surgical intervention was needed. The patient required a sigmoid resection with end-colostomy which led to clinical improvement.

Background Acute diverticulitis (AD) is an increasingly common cause of acute hospital admissions. An understanding of its economic burden is necessary to plan resource allocation, and for targeting health research funding. The aim of this study is to obtain an accurate estimate of the cost of AD, accounting not only for the initial episode, but all related costs incurred during long-term follow-up. Methods The study captures a cohort of patients who had an initial admission for AD from 1 January 2012-31 December 2012, and their treatment over a 6-year period. Cases were identified from a prospectively maintained database, with AD confirmed by computed tomography scan. The primary outcome was total healthcare cost related to AD. Results The study included 170 patients. The total cost was NZD1 956 859 with a median cost per patient of NZD4814. A total of 57% of the cost was incurred for the initial inpatient admission, with the remaining 43% incurred through re-admission, follow-up appointments, investigations and management. Half of the total cost was incurred by 11.8% of the cohort. In multivariate analysis, high cost of care was significantly associated with complicated and recurrent disease, operative intervention and length of stay. Conclusion This study provides an accurate estimate of the overall cost of AD and its sequelae. There are considerable long-term costs associated with the index episode and a large proportion of the expenditure is incurred by a small group that included those with complicated disease. These findings are important for healthcare resource allocation and for targeting health research funding.

Purpose To perform a radiologic-pathologic correlation analysis of sigmoid colon in patients undergoing pre-operative CT Colonography (CTC) after an episode of acute diverticulitis (AD). Methods Fifty-nine consecutive patients (31/28 M/F; 58 ± 13 years) underwent CTC 55 ± 18 days after AD, 8 ± 4 weeks before surgery. Thirty-seven patients (63%) underwent conventional abdominal CT at time of AD. An experienced blinded radiologist retrospectively analyzed all images: disease severity was graded according to the Ambrosetti classification on conventional CT and according to the diverticular disease severity score (DDSS) on CTC. A GI pathologist performed a dedicated analysis, evaluating the presence of acute and chronic inflammation, and fibrosis, using 0–3 point scale for each variable. Results Of 59 patients, 41 (69%) had at least one previous AD episode; twenty-six patients (44%) had a complicated AD. DDSS was mild-moderate in 34/59 (58%), and severe in 25/59 (42%). All patients had chronic inflammation, while 90% had low-to-severe fibrosis. Patients with moderate/severe fibrosis were older than those with no/mild fibrosis (61 ± 13 versus 54 ± 13). We found a significant correlation between DDSS and chronic inflammation (p = 0.004), as well as DDSS and fibrosis (p = 0.005). Furthermore, fibrosis was correlated with complicated acute diverticulitis (p = 0.0.27), and with age (p = 0.067). At multivariate analysis, complicated diverticulitis was the best predictor of fibrosis (odds ratio 4.4). Patient age and DDSS were other independent predictors. Conclusion DDSS-based assessment on preoperative CTC was a good predictor of chronic colonic inflammation and fibrosis. In addition, the presence of complicated diverticulitis on CT during the acute episode was most predictive of fibrosis.

Abdominal surgical pathology in elderly patient is relevant because of two fundamental factors: life expectancy rises and some features of the elderly patients make the diagnosis and treatment a challenge. The prevalence of acute diverticulitis increases with age and usually is located in bowel sigmoid. Diagnosis relies on clinical history and computed tomography (CT). Treatment is conservative (antibiotics), surgery is required only if complications. The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis is based on clinical history and ultrasound; frequently, treatment is surgical with laparoscopic approach. The early diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia is based on a high level of clinical suspicion and CT angiography is mandatory. Surgical treatment is based on revascularization and non-viable bowel resection. Sigmoid volvulus is the most frequent. Diagnosis is carried out using CT. Initial treatment is endoscopic decompression accompanied by delayed resection of redundant sigma.

The effect of selective perioperative intestinal decontamination in patients with acute sigmoid diverticulitis complicated by covered perforation on the number of postoperative complications was described. A prospective and partially retrospective study of the results of complex treatment of 196 patients with acute diverticulitis localized in the sigmoid colon, complicated by covered perforation, divided into group А - 66 patients with perioperative selective intestinal decontamination and group B -130 patients without decontamination. Rectal resection by open, laparoscopic and robot-assisted methods with the formation of primary colorectal anastomoses was performed in all cases. Of the 196 patients included in our study, 122 (62,2 %) underwent surgery without complications. Abdominal postoperative complications directly caused by surgical interventions and related, according to the classification of Clavien-Dindo surgical complications (C-D) to grades I, IIIb and IV, were noted in 9 (13,6 %) patients of group A and 36 (27,6 %) patients of group B, and extraabdominal (C-D I, IV), which included: pneumonia, acute renal failure, pyelonephritis, urosepsis, postoperative delirium and transient ischemic attack - in 8 (12,1 %) and 21 (16,1 %) patients of the corresponding groups. In group A, there was a significantly lower number of general abdominal and wound complications, as well as the total number of all postoperative complications (p = 0,03, p = 0,04 and p = 0,0111 respectively). There were no fatalities. The used scheme of oral antibiotic therapy, along with orthograde intestinal sanitation with osmolar solutions, significantly reduced the frequency of surgical and non-surgical complications.

Aims To compare the demographic and prognostic outcomes of right-sided versus left-sided acute colonic diverticulitis Methods We performed a systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA statement standards to identify all observational studies comparing demographic factors and outcomes of right-sided versus left-sided acute colonic diverticulitis. We used the ROBINS-I tool to assess the risk of bias of included studies. Random effects modelling was applied to calculate pooled outcome data. Results Analysis of 2933 patients from nine studies suggests that right-sided diverticulitis affects younger patients (MD:-14.16,P Conclusions Right-sided acute colonic diverticulitis predominantly affects younger male patients compared with left-sided disease and is associated with favourable outcomes as indicated by the lower risk of complications, failure of conservative management, need for emergency surgery, recurrence, and shorter length of hospital stay. More studies are required to compare the postoperative outcomes in patients with right-sided and left-sided diverticulitis undergoing emergency surgery.

Aims Of the 25% of people with diverticula who develop symptomatic diverticular disease, approximately 75% will have at least one episode of diverticulitis. However according to the latest NICE guidance those with diverticulitis who are not systemically unwell may not require either admission or antibiotics. In the financially austere environment facing the NHS within the COVID 19 pandemic, prudence in such resource allocation is of vital importance. We aim to review management of patients with acute diverticulitis over a 6-month period in a district general hospital against the 2019 NICE guidelines. Methods 29 patients presenting with acute diverticulitis, M:F ratio 12:17, median age 55 (range 24-82), median ASA 2 (range 0-3) were retrospectively reviewed. Biochemical markers, lactate and vital signs were used to assess if attending patients were systemically unwell. Results 23 patients were admitted and 6 managed as outpatients via the surgical ambulatory unit. Of the 29 patient cohort, 9 (31%) were systemically unwell. All 9 unwell patients received antibiotics. Of the 20 patients not considered systemically unwell, 11 (55%) received antibiotics. 16 (80%) that were admitted did not require admission on retrospective review. Conclusion Prompt administration of intravenous antibiotics for septic patients with diverticulitis reduces associated morbidity and mortality and the observed adherence to this principle is encouraging. For systemically well patients, increased clinical discernment is required to consider managing patients in the surgical ambulatory setting, avoiding unnecessary admissions. Similar caution must be used in appropriate use of antimicrobials to avoid unnecessary adverse consequences.

Aim Incidence of perforated sigmoid diverticular disease is estimated at 3.4 to 4.5 per 100,000. Perforation may be the first manifestation of complicated diverticulitis with a range of 50% to 70%. We aim to review management of systemically unwell patients with acute diverticulitis in a district general hospital against the 2019 NICE guidelines. Methods 29 patients presenting septic with acute diverticulitis, M:F ratio 12:17, median age 55 (range 24-82), median ASA 2 (range 0-3) were retrospectively reviewed over a 6-month period. Results Mean time to antibiotics was 3.96 hours (range 0-23.11). Of the 7 with perforated diverticulitis severity classification included: Hinchey I – n = 1, 3.4%; Hinchey IIa – 5 (17.2%), and; Hinchey IIb – 1 (3.4%). Time to CT abdomen pelvis was 3.38 hours (range 0-16.4 hours). Two pericolic abscesses met NICE drainage criteria at 3.7 cm and 3.9 cm respectively. The 3.7 cm abscess was drained radiologically at 7 days post-admission and was re-admitted 6 days later requiring further radiological drainage. The patient with a 3.9 cm abscess received a Hartmann’s procedure and had multiple re-admissions requiring a hospital stay of 34 days. There was 0% mortality at 30 days. Conclusion Management of acute diverticulitis continues to present a unique challenge. For systemically unwell patients, timely administration of antibiotics within an hour of sepsis recognition is encouraged to optimise outcomes. Timely cross-sectional imaging is pivotal in disease classification and decision-making regarding acute management. Interventional drainage and surgical resection remain important therapeutic strategies for unwell patients with Hinchey grade II diverticulitis.

Aim Currently standard practice is for patients diagnosed with diverticulitis to undergo endoscopic evaluation of the colon following the acute episode. The primary aim of endoscopy is to exclude underlying malignancy which may have been undetectable on initial CT scanning. We aim to determine if endoscopic evaluation of the colon is necessary for all patients. Methods All patients with CT proven diverticulitis were included between May 2017 and July 2018. Medical records, CT and endoscopy reports of 154 consecutive patients were retrospectively reviewed. Based on the CT reports, diverticulitis was classified as either uncomplicated (colonic wall thickening, pericolic fat stranding) or complicated (perforation, abscess, generalised free air and/or fluid). Results There were 154 patients included in the study. 59% percent were male. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 56 years old. There were 114 patients with uncomplicated and 40 patients with complicated diverticulitis. 79 patients (50 flexible sigmoidoscopy, 29 colonoscopy) with uncomplicated diverticulitis and 21 patients (15 flexible sigmoidoscopy, 6 colonoscopy) with complicated diverticulitis underwent endoscopy. Of the patients that underwent endoscopy, one patient (1.3%) with uncomplicated disease and one patient (4.8%) with complicated disease were found to have colorectal cancer (both rectal). Neither of these were associated with the diverticular segment. Conclusions Our data shows that routine endoscopic evaluation of the colon after an episode of acute diverticulitis may not be necessary in all cases. Patient numbers in this study are small therefore further work is required to draw conclusions which could influence future clinical practice.

Introduction The current Royal College of Surgeons commissioning guideline on colonic diverticular disease suggests that patients should undergo endoscopic evaluation of the colonic lumen after an episode of computed tomography (CT) proven acute diverticulitis to rule out malignancy. The necessity of routine endoscopic assessment of CT proven diverticulitis remains debatable. Aim To establish whether routine endoscopic assessment should be carried out for patients after an episode of acute diverticulitis. Method Data was collected retrospectively from all patients diagnosed with acute diverticulitis on CT and who subsequently had follow up endoscopic assessment from January to July 2019. Results Total number of patients were 64.Median age of the cohort was 58.Of all patients, 48 had diagnosis of uncomplicated diverticulitis whereas 16 patients had diagnosis of complicated diverticulitis on CT scan. All patients had follow up colonoscopy after an acute attack with following findings: 2 patients had no pathology, 56 patients had diagnosis of only diverticulosis, 4 patients had both diverticulosis and polyps and 2 patients had bowel cancer. All 4 cases of polyps had benign pathology and uncomplicated diverticulitis on CT scan. Two bowel cancer patients, one had complicated diverticulitis with thickening of proximal sigmoid and the other patient had abnormal sigmoid colon suggestive of malignancy on CT scan. Conclusion Recent meta-analysis showed no difference between diverticulitis and normal population group in terms of risk of bowel cancer. Routine colonoscopy may not be appropriate in patients with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis but endoscopic assessment after an episode of complicated diverticulitis is necessary.

BACKGROUND There is increasing evidence that uncomplicated acute diverticulitis (UAD) can be safely and effectively managed as an outpatient. The aim of the current study was to evaluate if an early computed tomography (CT) scan in the emergency department (ED) can reduce the number of hospital admissions when UAD is diagnosed, without compromising patient safety. METHODS A protocol was introduced in 2015, whereby patients with suspected diverticulitis receive a CT scan on presentation to the ED and be considered for discharge home on oral antibiotics if UAD is confirmed. A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was conducted for all patients presenting to the ED with acute diverticulitis over a 4-year period: 2 years prior (May 2013-April 2015; pre-protocol) and 2 years after implementation of the protocol (May 2015-April 2017; post-protocol). RESULTS A total of 1147 patients presented to the ED, who were diagnosed with diverticulitis, and UAD was confirmed in 552 patients. There was a significant decrease in hospital admissions for UAD in the post-protocol group from 93% to 39% (P

From 2011 to 2015, in the Alexander hospital, enrolled 656 patients with diverticular disease of the colon. 23 (3.5%) people were admitted as planned, in an emergency 633 (96.5%). Diverticulitis was detected in 504 (79.6%) patients. Of these, 124 (24.6%) were operated on urgently. Primary laparoscopy was performed in 73 (58.9%) patients, 24 (32.9%) of them were operated on in a delayed manner. 380 (75.4%) patients received conservative therapy, 16 of them (4.2%) after relief of acute diverticulitis were also operated on in a delayed manner. 23 patients were operated on as planned for diverticular colon disease. During the study, two equal groups of patients were formed. The results of treatment of patients with delayed surgical interventions (n=40) and planned operations (n=23) were compared. The duration of treatment, the frequency of complications and the number of observations were analyzed, when it was possible to complete a radical treatment without colostomy. According to the results of the study, we concluded that the implementation of delayed operations in diverticulitis of the colon allows to perform radical treatment during one hospitalization. At the same time, the results of delayed interventions are comparable to the results of planned operations with uncomplicated diverticulosis.

Highlights • Pancreatic pseudocysts (PP) are known sequelae of acute and chronic pancreatitis. • Pseudocyst extension into the psoas muscles have been rarely described. • Pancreatic pseudocyst can also masquerade as complicated diverticulitis. • This is a rare case of PP successfully managed with percutaneous drainage., Introduction and importance Pancreatic pseudocysts (PP) are known sequelae of pancreatitis. In this case, we present a patient with a pancreatic pseudocyst extending to the left psoas muscle, initially masquerading as acute complicated diverticulitis. Case presentation A 43-year-old male with previous episode of pancreatitis presented with a one-week history of abdominal pain. Physical examination revealed left lower quadrant tenderness. A computed tomography (CT) showed a large intraperitoneal fluid collection extending to the left psoas muscle with segmental inflammation of the descending colon. The patient was managed medically with empiric antibiotic therapy for concern of complicated diverticulitis. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage was performed and fluid analysis showed lipase >20,000 U/L. The patient was discharged home with the drain. At one month follow up a repeat CT showed resolution of the left psoas fluid collection. The drain was removed and the patient remained asymptomatic at two month follow-up. Clinical discussion Pancreatic pseudocysts are well-known complications of pancreatitis. In this case, we describe extension of a pseudocyst to the left psoas muscle. We identified twelve previously reported patients diagnosed with PP involving the psoas muscles. Our case is unique as there is no previously published case in which a pseudocyst masqueraded as complicated diverticulitis. In analysis of the literature, most patients were managed with percutaneous drainage. Only 50% had documented complete resolution on follow up; of those 75% had undergone percutaneous drainage. Conclusion Pancreatic pseudocysts that extend to the psoas muscle can mimic acute complicated diverticulitis upon presentation. These may be effectively managed with percutaneous drainage.

The prevalence of acute diverticulitis (AD) has progressively increased in recent decades, with correspondingly greater morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study is to develop a predictive score to identify patients with the highest risk of complicated AD. The clinical records of 1089 patients referred to the emergency department (ED) over a five-year period were reviewed. In multivariate analysis, male sex (p &lt, 0.001), constipation (p = 0.002), hemoglobin &lt, 11.9 g/dL (p &lt, 0.001), C reactive protein &gt, 80 mg/L (p &lt, 0.001), severe obesity (p = 0.049), and no proton pump inhibitor treatment (p = 0.003) were independently associated with complicated AD. The predictive assessment of complicated (PACO)-diverticulitis (D) score, including these six variables, was applied to the retrospective cohort and then validated prospectively in a cohort including 282 patients. It categorized patients into three risk classes for complicated AD. The PACO-D score showed fair discrimination for complicated AD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.674 and 0.648, in the retrospective and prospective cohorts, respectively. The PACO-D score could be a practical clinical tool to identify patients at highest risk for complicated AD referred to the ED so that appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic resources could be appropriately allocated. Further external validation is needed to confirm these results.

Perforated diverticulitis is an emergent clinical condition and its management is challenging and still debated. The aim of this position paper was to critically review the available evidence on the management of perforated diverticulitis and generalized peritonitis in order to provide evidence-based suggestions for a management strategy. Four Italian scientific societies (SICCR, SICUT, SIRM, AIGO), selected experts who identified 5 clinically relevant topics in the management of perforated diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis that would benefit from a multidisciplinary review. The following 5 issues were tackled: 1) Criteria to decide between conservative and surgical treatment in case of perforated diverticulitis with peritonitis; 2) Criteria or scoring system to choose the most appropriate surgical option when diffuse peritonitis is confirmed 3); The appropriate surgical procedure in hemodynamically stable or stabilized patients with diffuse peritonitis; 4) The appropriate surgical procedure for patients with generalized peritonitis and septic shock and 5) Optimal medical therapy in patients with generalized peritonitis from diverticular perforation before and after surgery. In perforated diverticulitis surgery is indicated in case of diffuse peritonitis or failure of conservative management and the decision to operate is not based on the presence of extraluminal air. If diffuse peritonitis is confirmed the choice of surgical technique is based on intraoperative findings and the presence or risk of severe septic shock. Further prognostic factors to consider are physiological derangement, age, comorbidities, and immune status. In hemodynamically stable patients, emergency laparoscopy has benefits over open surgery. Options include resection and anastomosis, Hartmann’s procedure or laparoscopic lavage. In generalized peritonitis with septic shock, an open surgical approach is preferred. Non-restorative resection and/or damage control surgery appear to be the only viable options, depending on the severity of hemodynamic instability. Multidisciplinary medical management should be applied with the main aims of controlling infection, relieving postoperative pain and preventing and/or treating postoperative ileus. In conclusion, the complexity and diversity of patients with diverticular perforation and diffuse peritonitis requires a personalized strategy, involving a thorough classification of physiological derangement, staging of intra-abdominal infection and choice of the most appropriate surgical procedure.

Introduction Currently, the debate on the usefulness of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) as a predictor of complications in acute diverticulitis (AD) remains open, especially, the relation to the severity of the disease, the clinical impact, and the necessity of minimally invasive or emergency surgical procedures. On the other hand, its diagnostic efficacy has not been studied even in our field. The objective of the present study was to determine the utility and diagnostic precision of NLR in complicated acute diverticulitis (cAD). Methods Descriptive, retrospective cohort and analytical study. Patients older than 18 years with a diagnosis of AD were included, from 2013 to 2018. Demographic variables, days of hospitalization, leukocyte count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, ESR, CRP, and NLR were analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of cAD were determined using ROC curves. Results 325 patients were included. Of these 196 (60%) were men. The median age was 52 years. A total of 30 (9%) were categorized as cAD. The patients with cAD presented mean values in the leukocyte count (14.02 ± 4.49 × 109/l; p, Highlights • About 10–15% of patients with acute diverticulitis (AD) can develop complications. • The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a useful biomarker in predicting of severity of AD. • The purpose was to determine the usefulness and diagnostic accuracy of NLR in complicated acute diverticulitis (cAD). • An NLR cutoff value ≥ 4.2 was identified as the most appropriate to distinguish cAD.

PurposeModern non-operative management of diverticulitis consists of a complex therapeutic regimen and is successful in most cases even of complicated diverticulitis. Still, a certain proportion of patients requires urgent surgery due to failure of the conservative approach. This study aims to identify predictors for failure of conservative treatment of complicated diverticulitis with the need for subsequent urgent resection during the acute episode.MethodsA single-centre retrospective cohort study was performed at our tertiary centre including cases of acute complicated diverticulitis (characterized by localized abscess formation and/or pericolic air) between 2007 and 2019 that were treated guideline-conform by multimodal conservative treatment. Radiologic characteristics of disease in CT scans upon admission were analysed by uni- and multivariable logistic regression to determine predictors for resection within 30 days after onset of the conservative therapy approach.ResultsA total of 669 cases of acute diverticulitis were identified, of which 141 patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 13% (n = 19) of patients were operated within 30 days despite initial conservative management. Multivariable logistic regression identified length of inflamed bowel greater than 7 cm (p 1 cm (p ConclusionPatients with length of inflamed bowel >7 cm or abscess formation >1 cm have increased risk for failure of conservative treatment of acute episodes of diverticulitis with contained perforations with subsequent need for urgent surgery. Therefore, conservative treatment of those patients should be monitored with special caution.