Cecal diverticulitis: a continuing diagnostic dilemma

Short-term outcomes following resection of right colon diverticulitis: a comparison of open and minimally invasive approaches using the NSQIP database

BACKGROUND

Right colon diverticulitis is a rare disease process for which there are no established treatment guidelines, and outcomes following surgical management are underreported in the literature. We sought to describe the demographics of patients undergoing ileocecectomy for right colon diverticulitis and compare short-term postoperative outcomes between open and minimally invasive approaches.

METHODS

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) was queried for patients with diverticulitis of the colon who underwent ileocecectomy between 2012 and 2019. Patients with ascites, disseminated cancer, ASA class 5, and patients requiring mechanical ventilation were excluded. Preoperative, intraoperative, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were compared between the groups using both univariable chi-square or t-tests and multivariable logistical regression models.

RESULTS

484 patients met inclusion criteria, 150 (31%) of whom underwent open surgery and 334 (69%) who underwent minimally invasive surgery with an 18% conversion rate. 71% of patients were White, 11% of were Black, 7% were Hispanic, and 5% were Asian. The indication for surgery differed significantly by approach with acute diverticulitis representing 47% of indications for open cases and 25% for MIS cases (p < 0.0001). After adjusting for possible confounders, patients undergoing the open approach had a significantly higher chance of post-operative sepsis (p = 0.009) and ileus (p = 0.04) compared with MIS. Hospital length of stay was also significantly shorter after MIS compared to open (5.9 days vs. 11.5 days; p < 0.0001). Mean operative time was significantly longer in MIS than open (173 min vs. 198 min; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our analysis demonstrates that minimally invasive surgery is associated with equivalent or improved short-term morbidity and shorter hospital stay despite longer mean operative time. Interestingly, unlike other countries where the prevalence of right colon diverticulitis is higher, a minority of patients requiring operative therapy in our study of patients in the Western hemisphere were of Asian descent.

Cecal diverticulitis as a continuing diagnostic and management dilemma: a report of two cases in children

Right-sided diverticulitis remains an exceedingly rare condition in the pediatric population. The clinical presentation mimics acute appendicitis, and the correct diagnosis is often difficult to make prior to operative exploration. We report two cases of cecal diverticulitis, and discuss the diagnosis and management of this disease, with a review of the literature.

Suspected uncomplicated cecal diverticulitis diagnosed by imaging: Initial antibiotics vs laparoscopic treatment

AIM: To compare the recurrence rate following initial antibiotic management to that following laparoscopic treatment for suspected uncomplicated cecal diverticulitis.

METHODS: We examined the records of 132 patients who were diagnosed with uncomplicated cecal diverticulitis and a first attack during an 8-year period. The diagnosis of uncomplicated diverticulitis was made based on imaging findings, such as inflamed diverticulum or a phlegmon with cecal wall thickening. Concurrent appendiceal dilatation from 8 to 12 mm was observed in 36 patients (27%). One hundred and two patients were treated initially with antibiotics only, whereas 30 underwent laparoscopic treatment, including partial cecectomy (n = 8) or appendectomy with diverticulectomy (n = 9) or appendectomy alone (n = 13). We compared clinical outcomes in both groups over a median follow-up period of 46 mo.

RESULTS: All patients were successfully treated with initial therapy. Of the 102 patients who initially received only antibiotic treatment, 6 (6%) had a recurrence (3 in the cecum and 3 in the ascending colon or transverse colon) during the follow-up period. Five of these patients were managed with repeated antibiotic treatment and 1 underwent ileocolic resection for perforation. Of the 30 patients treated by the laparoscopic approach, 2 (7%) had a recurrence (ascending colon) which was treated with antibiotics.

CONCLUSION: Initial antibiotic management for suspected uncomplicated cecal diverticulitis showed comparable efficacy to laparoscopic treatment in the prevention of recurrence.

Perforated caecal diverticulum as a content of inguinal hernia - report of a rare case

A tablet induced perforation of a caecal diverticulum into a hernial sac is a rare happening. The report discusses the presentation and outcome of a patient with such an unusual disease. A 55-year-old man presented with features of irreducible right sided indirect inguinal hernia. A hard swelling near upper pole of right testis was noted. Scrotal ultrasound revealed a normal testis. At operation caecum and proximal ascending colon were found in the hernial sac with the caecum adherent to the testis. As caecal malignancy could not be ruled out and enbloc Rt Haemicolectomy with Rt orchidectomy was performed. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Pathological examination of the specimen revealed a perforated caecal diverticulum with presence of multiple tablets in its lumen invaginating the upper pole of right testis without any evidence of malignancy. Tablet induced perforation of a caecal diverticulum into a hernial sac is a rare clinical entity. If malignancy cannot be negated at operation, a right haemicolectomy is a safe and feasible option.

Imaging findings in right-sided diverticulitis in a child

We report the imaging findings in a case of acute right-sided diverticulitis in a 13-year-old boy. Based on this diagnosis the patient was successfully treated conservatively with intravenous antibiotics. This entity should be considered in patients with right lower quadrant pain and a sonographically normal appendix, particularly in those of Asian or Pacific descent.

Surgical management of cecal diverticulitis: is diverticulectomy enough?

INTRODUCTION

Cecal diverticulitis is a rare condition in the western population. The optimal management of this condition is still controversial, ranging from conservative antibiotic treatment to aggressive resection. We present our experience of the surgical management of eight cases of cecal diverticulitis over a 25-year period.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The mean age of the patients was 54.2 years. Five patients underwent diverticulectomy, 2 patients underwent ileocecal resection, and 1 patient underwent suture of the perforated diverticulum.

RESULTS

The postoperative course of all patients was uneventful. At long-term follow-up (mean 14.6 years, range 1-25 years) none of the patients who underwent diverticulectomy, mentioned any symptom or complication.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that diverticulectomy, if technically feasible, could be considered as adequate therapy for cecal diverticulitis. Aggressive resection should be considered in cases of extensive inflammatory changes.

Toward therapeutic guidelines for patients with acute right colonic diverticulitis

BACKGROUND

At present, little information is available on the outcome of medical therapy for patients with acute right colonic diverticulitis, and this has meant a gap in constructing guidelines for its treatment.

METHODS

The records of patients with acute right colonic diverticulitis at Nagasaki University Graduate School and affiliated hospitals were reviewed and analyzed with the goal of establishing therapeutic guidelines. The time frame of the data analyzed was from 1984 to 2002.

RESULTS

Of the 81 patients included in the data, 80 patients who were suffering a first attack were successfully treated with bowel rest and antibiotics. Two of these 80 patients underwent an elective operation at the surgeon's discretion during the original hospitalization and 1 (1.2%) needed an urgent operation. Of the 78 patients who responded to medical therapy, 16 (20.5%) developed recurrent right colonic diverticulitis. All 16 patients who had a second attack were successfully treated with medical therapy. Three of the 16 patients underwent an elective operation during this rehospitalization period. Of the 13 patients who had had a second attack and had responded to medical therapy, there was a third attack in 2 patients (15.4%). Both of these patients were again successfully treated with medical therapy. There has been no morbidity and no mortality related to recurrence to date. The average time from the first attack to us contacting the patient was 35.2 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Unlike acute uncomplicated left colonic diverticulitis, our findings indicate that after two documented episodes, medical treatment alone rather than elective surgery may be considered as an effective guideline for the treatment of acute uncomplicated right colonic diverticulitis.

[Right colon diverticulitis]

Diverticulitis involving the right colon is uncommon in the Occident; only one case for every 300 cases of appendicitis occurs in Western countries compared to a ratio of 1/40-1/180 in Asia. The preferential localization of diverticula in the right colon among Asiatics is probably due to genetic factors. In Asia as in the West, a right colon diverticulum is more likely to cause hemorrhage than diverticulitis. The peak age of symptoms is 40-45 years and the sex ratio is 1:1. The patient most commonly presents with symptoms suggestive of acute appendicitis, acute localized peritonitis, or, more rarely, a psoas abscess. Clinical exam reveals an inflammatory mass in the right lower quadrant in 30% of cases; diffuse peritonitis, large abscesses, and fistulae are rare. Helical CT scan is the best tool for establishing the diagnosis and also helps to rule out other possible etiologies in the differential diagnosis-particularly a perforated right colon cancer. In noncomplicated cases with convincing evidence for the diagnosis by CT scan, a conservative (non-surgical) treatment with antibiotics is possible; a later stage colonoscopy will rule out other colonic lesions. More commonly, the correct diagnosis is only made after embarking on an appendectomy via a McBurney incision; the surgical strategy thereafter depends on the level of suspicion regarding the diagnosis and the extent and complexity of the diverticulitis. Therapeutic options may be conservative (appendectomy), limited (diverticulectomy, or extensive (ileocecal resection or right hemicolectomy). For complicated disease (abscess, localized perforation), an aggressive surgical approach is warranted. Surgical strategies need to be validated, particularly in the light of the increasing use of the laparoscopic approach for suspected appendicitis.

It is not always appendicitis

BACKGROUND

Patients who are suspected of having acute appendicitis usually undergo surgery in order to avoid life-threatening complications such as perforation and peritonitis. However, acute appendicitis is difficult to distinguish from other sources of right-sided abdominal pain. The clinical picture is almost indistinguishable from appendiceal diverticulitis, which is a rare entity and remains a difficult diagnostic problem.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We describe the case of a 39-year-old male with perforated appendiceal diverticulitis. The patient was admitted to our surgical unit with acute appendicitis-like symptoms and underwent surgery with a diagnosis of suspected acute appendicitis.

RESULTS

The patient was found to have perforated appendiceal diverticulitis and standard appendectomy with abdominal lavage was carried out.

DISCUSSION

Most patients presenting with acute right-sided peritonitic pain are diagnosed and managed as cases of acute appendicitis. Acute pain in the lower right side of the abdomen caused by appendiceal diverticulitis is very rare and clinically indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. Inflammatory complications of appendiceal diverticula mimic acute appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

Every surgeon should be aware of the possibility of diverticulitis of the appendix in the operating room, even if this does not change the operative management. As diverticula of the cecum can be found as solitary lesions, as multiple lesions confined to the right colon, or as part of a generalized disease of the entire colon, postoperative barium enema examination may be useful.

Aggressive resection is indicated for cecal diverticulitis

BACKGROUND

Because of the difficulties in preoperative diagnosis and controversies in the management, cecal diverticulitis has received much discussion in the literature. There, however, are still many questions that remain unanswered.

METHODS

During a 5-year period, 112 patients with a clinical diagnosis of cecal diverticulitis were treated. Twenty-seven patients were excluded because of uncertainty in diagnosis or incomplete data collection, leaving 85 patients as the study group. The diagnosis of cecal diverticulitis was made by pathology, surgical findings, or image study.

RESULTS

Nonoperative management was applied to 18 patients initially. Three patients had recurrent diverticulitis during follow up. These patients responded satisfactorily to another course of medical treatment. Laparotomy was performed in 67 patients. Acute appendicitis was the preoperative diagnosis in 47 patients (70%). Of the other 20 patients, 6 received operation because of repeated attack of diverticulitis, 7 had preoperative computed tomography (CT) diagnosis of cecal diverticulitis with perforation, 5 had preoperative diagnosis of cecal tumor, and 2 had medical treatment failure. All these 20 patients received right hemicolectomy. In the 47 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis, 24 received appendectomy, 9 received diverticulectomy, and 14 received right hemicolectomy. Overall, 34 patients received right hemicolectomy, 9 received diverticulectomy, and 24 received appendectomy only. In the right hemicolectomy group, there were 2 deaths with underlying diseases and 5 complications. In the appendectomy group, there was no postoperative mortality, but in 7 patients recurrent diverticulitis developed. Three of them required right hemicolectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

The natural history of cecal diverticulitis varies from benign and self-limiting to fulminant in the oriental population. Less than 40% (32 of 85) of patients were successfully treated with conservative methods initially and had no recurrence during the follow-up period. We recommend aggressive surgical resection for patients with a definite diagnosis. Adjuvant appendectomy without resection of the lesion should be considered only in uncomplicated patients whose diagnosis is in doubt.

Surgical approach to cecal diverticulitis

BACKGROUND

Cecal diverticulitis is a rare condition in the Western world, with a higher incidence in people of Asian descent. The treatment for cecal diverticulitis has ranged from expectant medical management, which is similar to uncomplicated left-sided diverticulitis, to right hemicolectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective chart review was conducted of the 49 patients treated for cecal diverticulitis at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center from 1976 to 1998. This was the largest-ever single-institution review of cecal diverticulitis reported in the mainland US.

RESULTS

The clinical presentation was similar to that of acute appendicitis, with abdominal pain, low-grade fever, nausea/vomiting, abdominal tenderness, and leukocytosis. Operations performed included right hemicolectomy in 39 patients (80%), diverticulectomy in 7 patients (14%), and appendectomy with drainage of intraabdominal abscess in 3 patients (6%). Of the 7 patients who had diverticulectomy, 1 required right hemicolectomy at 6 months followup for continued symptoms. Of the three patients who underwent appendectomy with drainage, all required subsequent hemicolectomy for continued inflammation. Of the 39 patients who received immediate hemicolectomies, there were complications in 7 (18%), with no mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

We endorse an aggressive operative approach to the management of cecal diverticulitis, with the resection of all clinically apparent disease at the time of the initial operation. In cases of a solitary diverticulum, we recommend the use of diverticulectomy when it is technically feasible. When confronted with multiple diverticuli and cecal phlegmon, or when neoplastic disease cannot be excluded, we advocate immediate right hemicolectomy. This procedure can be safely performed in the unprepared colon with few complications. Excisional treatment for cecal diverticulitis prevents the recurrence of symptoms, which may be more common in the Western population.

Colonic diverticulosis in Hong Kong: distribution pattern and clinical significance

This is a retrospective study on the prevalence of diverticulosis in Hong Kong Chinese adults. Eight-hundred and fifty-eight consecutive barium enema examinations over a period of 18 months (January 1995-June 1996) were analysed. Results show that the prevalence of diverticulosis in our community is 25.1% with no significant difference between male and female adults. The prevalence is lower than Western countries but higher than in Asia. Moreover, the peak prevalence is at the 50-79 years age group with lower prevalence in the older age groups. This may be explained by the rapid rise in prevalence in the younger age groups so that the age-related increase in prevalence become obscured. We postulate that this may be due to Western cultural influence in our diet and lifestyle. There is no significant difference in the symptomatology of patients with and without diverticulosis, supporting the idea that diverticulosis alone is usually asymptomatic. There is predominance of right hemicolon involvement in our subjects, in contrast to the left hemicolon predominance in the Caucasian population. Of patients with diverticulosis, 55.3% have only right-sided involvement and 32.6% have bilateral involvement. Only 12.1% of patients with diverticulosis have exclusively left hemicolon involvement. Caecal and ascending colon diverticula are found in 6.4% and 17.6% of all the adults under study, respectively. Clinicians caring for patients from our community should take note of this high frequency of caecal and ascending colon diverticulosis as caecal and ascending colon diverticulitis is notoriously difficult to diagnose clinically.

Prospective evaluation of ultrasonography in acute colonic diverticulitis

BACKGROUND

The clinical diagnosis of acute colonic diverticulitis (ACD) can be difficult and ultrasonography by experts is valuable in establishing the diagnosis. This prospective observational trial aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy and clinical value of ultrasonography performed routinely by surgical residents in training.

METHODS

The clinical course of 187 unselected consecutive patients admitted with suspected ACD was studied prospectively. Patients who had surgery for generalized peritonitis were excluded, leaving 143 for evaluation. Ultrasonographic findings and clinical assessment on admission were correlated with the patient's clinicopathological data and discharge diagnosis respectively.

RESULTS

Of 74 patients with proven ACD (prevalence 52 per cent) the diagnosis was made by ultrasonography in 62, with an accuracy of 88 per cent, sensitivity 84 per cent and specificity 93 per cent. Ultrasonography gave a false-negative result in 12 patients (negative predictive value (NPV) 84 per cent) and there were five false-positive findings (positive predictive value (PPV) 93 per cent). The final diagnosis in the latter five patients was colitis (two patients), caecal carcinoma (one), colonic ileus due to perforated sigmoid carcinoma (one) and suppurative pyosalpingitis with involvement of the sigmoid colon (one). The accuracy of clinical evaluation on admission was 71 per cent (sensitivity 82 per cent, specificity 55 per cent, PPV 72 per cent, NPV 68 per cent); however, in only 53 per cent of patients was the diagnosis considered clinically unequivocal.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasonography is a useful and valid modality for imaging ACD and its differential diagnoses in the hands of sonographically trained surgeons. It is especially helpful when the clinical findings are equivocal.

Acute diverticulitis of the right colon

BACKGROUND

Acute diverticulitis of the right colon is a rare condition with a higher incidence in Oriental populations than in Occidental populations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted between 1982 and 1993 on 22 surgically treated Chinese patients (14 men, 8 women; mean age 47 years) with documented right colon diverticulitis.

RESULTS

Most patients presented with right lower quadrant pain and local peritoneal signs. Acute appendicitis was the preoperative diagnosis in 82% (18/22) of the patients. Only one diagnosis subsequently proved correct. The pathology was easily recognized in 4 patients during surgery, while examination of the resected specimen confirmed the intraoperative suspicion in 13 patients. The right colon was resected and an ileocolonic anastomosis performed in 21 patients; the remaining patient underwent diverticulectomy and drainage of a pericolic abscess. There was no postoperative mortality, and 4 patients developed wound infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that acute diverticulitis of the right colon was encountered once in 180 cases of acute appendicitis. Local resection or colectomy with primary anastomosis without bowel preparation is the procedure of choice.

Laparoscopic resection of a solitary cecal diverticulum

Cecal diverticulitis is an uncommon disorder that, unlike sigmoid diverticular disease, usually involves a solitary true diverticulum. The resulting pain is hard to distinguish from that of appendicitis or perforating carcinoma. The typical patient is male, Asian, and in the fourth decade of life. The following case is unusual in that the patient was a 50-year-old Caucasian woman, and the diverticulum was excised laparoscopically. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case in which laparoscopy has been used for this purpose.

Surgery for complicated diverticulitis

The surgical treatment of acute, complicated diverticulitis remains controversial. No randomized studies have been performed to clarify which operative procedure best fits each situation. As a result, the surgeon must use accumulated knowledge and judgment to make the correct decisions for an individual patient. The morbidity and mortality of patients with complicated diverticular disease in 1993 depend, not so much on the operative procedure, but on the severity of the disease and the associated comorbid conditions, namely the presence of fecal or purulent peritonitis, past medical problems, immune status, and nutritional status. However, adherence to the several principles detailed in this report will minimize morbidity and mortality. The surgeon should always attempt to convert the patient from an emergency to an urgent or elective operative status. In the absence of free perforation, this goal usually can be achieved. Rushing into surgery in patients with a normal immune system is generally ill advised. It is far preferable to stabilize the patient, percutaneously drain abscesses if possible, prepare the bowel before exploration, and thus keep the option of primary anastomosis open. A primary anastomosis done first thing in the morning is far preferable to an end-stoma created in the middle of the night in an emergency situation. The algorithm displayed in Figure 1 provides a useful guideline for treating patients with complicated diverticulitis.

Surgical management of right colon diverticulitis

The infrequent occurrence of right colon diverticulitis in the developed West has led to a controversy in the management of this disease. In Singapore, we continued to avoid colectomy whenever possible because this disease is usually nonprogressive. We reviewed 68 patients treated by conservative surgery to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment policy. Almost 70 percent of our patients were below 40 years of age, and the clinical presentation was indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. Diverticulectomy was done only for inflamed and perforated diverticula (25 cases), while the nonperforated diverticulum was left alone (40 cases). The inflammation invariably responded to antibiotic therapy. Only three patients had colonic resection since a malignant neoplasm could not be excluded. There were no adverse sequelae over a mean follow-up period of three and one-half years, except for one patient who had recurrent attacks of right colon diverticulitis necessitating colectomy. With this policy of management we encountered no mortality, and morbidity was acceptable.