Acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air: is conservative treatment sufficient? A single-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air constitutes a heterogeneous condition whose management is controversial. The aims of this study are to report the failure rate of conservative treatment for diverticulitis with extraluminal air and to report risk factors of conservative treatment failure.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed from an institutional review board-approved database of patients admitted with acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air from 2015 to 2021 at a tertiary referral center. All patients managed for acute diverticulitis with covered perforation (without intraabdominal abscess) were included. The primary endpoint was failure of medical treatment, defined as a need for unplanned surgery or percutaneous drainage within 30 days after admission.

RESULTS

Ninety-three patients (61% male, mean age 57 ± 17 years) were retrospectively included. Ten patients had failure of conservative treatment (11%). These patients were significantly older than 50 years (n = 9/10, 90% versus n = 47/83, 57%, p = 0.007), associated with cardiovascular disease (n = 6/10, 60% versus n = 10/83, 12%, p = 0.002), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3-4 (n = 4/7, 57% versus 6/33, 18%, p = 0.05), under anticoagulant and antiplatelet (n = 6/10, 60% versus n = 11/83, 13%, p = 0.04) and steroid or immunosuppressive therapy (n = 3/10, 30% versus 5/83, 6%, p = 0.04), and with distant pneumoperitoneum location (n = 7/10, 70% versus n = 14/83, 17%, p = 0.001) compared with those with successful conservative treatment. On multivariate analysis, only distant pneumoperitoneum was an independent risk factor of failure (odds ratio (OR) 6.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) [2-21], p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative treatment with antibiotics for acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air is safe with a success rate of 89%. Patients with distant pneumoperitoneum should be carefully monitored.

Accuracy of specific free air distributions in predicting the localization of gastrointestinal perforations

PURPOSE

To evaluate the role of specific distributions of free air in predicting the location of gastrointestinal (GI) tract perforation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and fifteen patients with surgically proven GI tract perforation between January 2015 and June 2019 were included in the study. The site of perforation was based on surgical findings in all cases. Two radiologists retrospectively interpreted the computed tomography (CT) images of these patients for extraluminal free air distribution. Perforation sites were demonstrated intraoperatively in all cases and were categorized as follows: stomach and duodenum, jejunum and ileum, proximal colon (cecum, ascending colon, and transverse colon), distal colon (descending colon and sigmoid colon), rectum, and appendix.

RESULTS

There were 79 male and 36 female patients with a mean age of 56.4 years. Periportal, perihepatic, and perigastric free air were statistically significant in predicting gastroduodenal perforation. Mesenteric free air was significant in predicting both small bowel and distal colon perforations. Pelvic free air was statistically significant in distal colon perforations. Periappendiceal free air was found to be a strong predictor of acute perforated appendicitis.

CONCLUSION

Specific free air distributions may help to predict the site of gastrointestinal perforation, which would change the treatment plan.

The clinical significance of extraluminal air in Hinchey 1a diverticulitis: results from a retrospective cohort study with 10-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

Some patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis have extraluminal air. Our objective was to determine if patients with Hinchey 1a diverticulitis and isolated extraluminal air present more severe episode than patients without extraluminal air.

METHODS

The present study is a monocentric observational retrospective cohort study. Computed tomographies of patients with diagnosed uncomplicated diverticulitis were retrospectively reviewed from the 01 January 2005 to the 31 December 2009. The presence of extraluminal air was determined. Leukocyte count, CRP value, and length of hospitalization were extracted from the patients' files. The follow-up period was from the time of diagnosis to the 15th of March 2019, the latest. Follow-up was censored for death and sigmoidectomy. Recurrence and emergency sigmoidectomy were documented during the follow-up period. The study was performed according to the STROBE guideline.

RESULTS

Three hundred and one patients with an episode of Hinchey 1a diverticulitis were included. Extraluminal air was present in 56 patients (18.60%). Leukocyte count (12.4 ± 4.1(G/l) versus 10.7 ± 3.5(G/l), p = 0.05), CRP value (156.9 ± 95.1(mg/l) versus 89.9 ± 74.8(mg/l), p < 0.001), and length of hospital stay (10.9 ± 5.5(days) versus 8.4 ± 3.6(days), p < 0.001) were significantly higher in patients with extraluminal air than in patients without extraluminal air. Seventy-two patients (23.92%) presented a recurrence during the follow-up period. Survival estimates did not differ between patients with or without extraluminal air (p = 0.717). Eleven patients (3.65%) required emergency surgery during the follow-up period. Patients with extraluminal air had shorter emergency surgery-free survival than patients without extraluminal air (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The presence of extraluminal air in Hinchey 1a diverticulitis indicates a more severe episode, with higher inflammation parameters at admission, longer length of stay, and an increased risk for emergency sigmoidectomy.

Nonoperative management of perforated acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air: results and risk factors of failure

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyze the results of nonoperative management of patients with perforated acute diverticulitis with extraluminal air and to identify risk factors that may lead to failure and necessity of surgery.

METHODS

Methods included observational retrospective cohort study of patients between 2010 and 2015 with diagnosis of diverticulitis with extraluminal air and with nonoperative management initial. Patient demographics, clinical, and analytical data were collected, as were data related with computed tomography. Univariate and multivariate analyses with Wald forward stepwise logistic regression were performed to analyze results and to identify risk factors potentially responsible of failure of nonoperative management.

RESULTS

Nonoperative management was established in 83.12% of patients diagnosed with perforated diverticulitis (64 of 77) with an overall success rate of 84.37%, a mean hospital stay of 11.98 ± 7.44 days and only one mortality (1.6%). Patients with pericolic air presented a greater chance of success (90.2%) than patients with distant air (61.5%). American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade III-IV (OR, 5.49; 95% CI, 1.04-29.07) and the distant location of air (OR, 4.81; 95% CI, 1.03-22.38) were the only two factors identified in the multivariate analysis as risk factors for a poor nonoperative treatment outcome. Overall recurrence after conservative approach was 20.4%; however, recurrence rate of patients with distant air was twice than that of patients with pericolic air (37.5 vs 17.39%). Only 14.8% of successfully treated patients required surgery after the first episode.

CONCLUSION

Nonoperative management of perforated diverticulitis is safe and efficient. Special follow-up must be assumed in patients ASA III-IV and with distant air in CT.