Categorización de la diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo mediante ecografía y tomografía computarizada. Valor de las clasificaciones de gravedad disponibles / Classification of acute diverticulitis in the left colon with ultrasonography and computed tomography: value of current severity classification schemes

Antecedentes y objetivoEl manejo actual de la diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo requiere pruebas con alto valor pronóstico. Los objetivos del estudio son analizar la utilidad de la ecografía como método diagnóstico inicial y evaluar la validez de las clasificaciones actuales de gravedad de dicha enfermedad.PacientesEstudio observacional retrospectivo de pacientes con diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo. Se solicitó ecografía o tomografía computarizada (TC) siguiendo un algoritmo clínico. Tras los hallazgos de imagen, se clasificó la enfermedad como leve, localmente complicada y complicada. Se evaluaron la eficacia de la ecografía como herramienta diagnóstica inicial y las razones por las que se realizó una TC como técnica inicial. Se compararon los hallazgos con las clasificaciones de diverticulitis publicadas.ResultadosDe 311 pacientes con diverticulitis aguda, se seleccionaron 183 con diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo, que fueron clasificadas por imagen como leves (104), localmente complicadas (60) y complicadas (19). En 98 pacientes, el diagnóstico se realizó por ecografía, en 77 por TC y en 8 mediante ambas. Las principales razones de utilización inicial de TC fueron falta de experiencia del radiólogo en ecografía abdominal y falta de disponibilidad de un radiólogo de guardia. A 6 pacientes diagnosticados por ecografía se les realizó una nueva evaluación por TC, pero solo en 3 cambió la clasificación. Ninguna de las clasificaciones publicadas recoge todos los hallazgos en imagen.ConclusionesLa ecografía debería ser la primera técnica a utilizar para el diagnóstico de diverticulitis aguda de colon izquierdo. Para establecer el pronóstico de la enfermedad, son útiles diversos parámetros analíticos y hallazgos de imagen. Para una apropiada toma de decisión terapéutica se necesitarían nuevas clasificaciones de gravedad. (AU)

Background and aimsThe current management of acute diverticulitis of the left colon (ADLC) requires tests with high prognostic value. This paper analyzes the usefulness of ultrasonography (US) in the initial diagnosis of ADLC and the validity of current classifications schemes for ADLC.PatientsThis retrospective observational study included patients with ADLC scheduled to undergo US or computed tomography (CT) following a clinical algorithm. According to the imaging findings, ADLC was classified as mild, locally complicated, or complicated. We analyzed the efficacy of US in the initial diagnosis and the reasons why CT was used as the first-line technique. We compared the findings with published classifications schemes for ADLC.ResultsA total of 311 patients were diagnosed with acute diverticulitis; 183 had ADLC, classified at imaging as mild in 104, locally complicated in 60, and complicated in 19. The diagnosis was reached by US alone in 98 patients, by CT alone in 77, and by combined US and CT in 8. The main reasons for using CT as the first-line technique were the radiologist's lack of experience in abdominal US and the unavailability of a radiologists on call. Six patients diagnosed by US were reexamined by CT, but the classification changed in only three. None of the published classification schemes included all the imaging findings.ConclusionsUS should be the first-line imaging technique in patients with suspected ADLC. Various laboratory and imaging findings are useful in establishing the prognosis of ADLC. New schemes to classify the severity of ADLC are necessary to ensure optimal clinical decision making. (AU)

Recurrence of Acute Right Colon Diverticulitis Following Nonoperative Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There are currently no guidelines on the management of right colon diverticulitis. Treatment options have been extrapolated from the management of left-sided diverticulitis. Gaining knowledge of the risk and morbidity of diverticulitis recurrence is integral to weighing the benefit of elective surgery for right-sided diverticulitis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to summarize the recurrence rate and the morbidity of recurrence of Hinchey classification I/II, right-sided diverticulitis following nonoperative management. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Collected Reviews were searched up to June 2019. STUDY SELECTION: Observational cohort studies evaluating outcomes following nonoperative management were reviewed. No randomized controlled trials were available. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous antibiotics with or without percutaneous drainage of associated abscess were administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes measured were the recurrence rate and morbidity associated with recurrence. Two independent investigators extracted data. The rates of recurrence were pooled by using a random-effects model. RESULTS: There were 1584 adult participants from a total of 11 studies (9 retrospective cohort and 2 prospective cohort studies) included in the analysis. Over a median follow-up period of 34.2 months, the pooled recurrence rate was 12% (95% CI, 10%-15%). Twenty of 202 patients (9.9%) required urgent surgery at the time of first recurrence. There was no mortality. Subset analysis excluding 3 studies that included percutaneous drainage as a nonoperative treatment option did not change the recurrence rate (12% (95% CI, 9%-15%)) or heterogeneity. Funnel plot assessment revealed no publication bias. LIMITATIONS: There were no randomized controlled trials available. The statistical heterogeneity was moderate (I = 46%). CONCLUSIONS: Nonoperative management of Hinchey I/II right-sided diverticulitis is safe and feasible. The recurrence rate is relatively low, and complications that require urgent operation are uncommon. PROSPERO: CRD42019131673.

Acute diverticulitis: old challenge, current trends, open questions.

Acute diverticulitis (AD) is an increasing issue for health systems worldwide. As accuracy of clinical symptoms and laboratory examinations is poor, a pivotal role in preoperative diagnosis and severity assessment is played by CT scan. Several new classifications trying to adapt the intraoperative Hinchey's classification to preoperative CT findings have been proposed, but none really entered clinical practice. Treatment of early AD is mostly conservative (antibiotics) and may be administered in outpatients in selected cases. Larger abscesses (exceeding 3 to 5 cm) need percutaneous drainage, while management of stages 3 (purulent peritonitis) and 4 (fecal peritonitis) is difficult to standardize, as various approaches are nowadays suggested. Three situations are identified: situation A, stage 3 in stable/healthy patients, where various options are available, including conservative management, lavage/drainage and primary resection/anastomosis w/without protective stoma; situation B, stage 3 in unstable and/or unhealthy patients, and stage 4 in stable/healthy patients, where stoma-protected primary resection/anastomosis or Hartmann procedure should be performed; situation C, stage 4 in unstable and/or unhealthy patients, where Hartmann procedure or damage control surgery (resection without any anastomosis/stoma) are suggested. Late, elective sigmoid resection is less and less performed, as a new trend towards a patient-tailored management is spreading.

2020 update of the WSES guidelines for the management of acute colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting.

Acute colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in the acute setting. An international multidisciplinary panel of experts from the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) updated its guidelines for management of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis (ALCD) according to the most recent available literature. The update includes recent changes introduced in the management of ALCD. The new update has been further integrated with advances in acute right-sided colonic diverticulitis (ARCD) that is more common than ALCD in select regions of the world.

Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease and Incidence of Unexpected Abscess during Sigmoidectomy: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease can affect patients' everyday routine. Considerable efforts have been made to identify clinical features that correlate to the severity of the disease. Unexpected intraoperative abscesses are reported in large retrospective series, showing how uncomplicated symptoms and presentations can underlie a complicated disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of pericolic or intramural abscess in patients undergoing elective sigmoidectomy for symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease and see if chronic symptoms correlate to the presence of an abscess. METHODS: Between January 2016 and June 2018, we prospectively collected data of patients who were given indication to elective sigmoidectomy for symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease. Patients were divided into 3 groups: acute resolving, smoldering, and atypical according to a previously described classification of uncomplicated diverticular disease. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-eight consecutive patients were enrolled in the study. The median age was 63 years (22- 88), and the mean body mass index was 26 (±7) kg/m2. There were 114 patients in the acute resolving group, 36 in the smoldering group, and 8 in the atypical group. An unexpected abscess was reported in 75 patients (47.5%) during surgery or pathological examination. The incidence of -abscess was greater for patient in the smoldering group (p = 0.0243). CONCLUSION: Our series of patients affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease showed an incidence of unexpected pericolic or intramural abscess of 47.5%. Patients affected by smoldering diverticular disease presented a greater abscess rate.

Differences between computed tomoghaphy and surgical findings in acute complicated diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: A preoperative reliable classification system between clinical and computed tomography (CT) findings to better plan surgery in acute complicated diverticulitis (ACD) is lacking. We studied the inter-observer agreement of CT scan data and their concordance with the preoperative clinical findings and the adherence with the intraoperative status using a new classification of diverticular disease (CDD). METHODS: 152 patients operated on for acute complicated diverticulitis (ACD) were retrospectively enrolled. All patients were studied with CT scan within 24 h before surgery and CT images were blinded reanalyzed by 2 couples of radiologists (A/B). Kappa value evaluated the inter-observer agreement between radiologists and the concordance between CDD, preoperative clinical findings and findings at operation. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the predicting values of CT classification and CDD stage at surgery on postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: Overall inter-observer agreement for the CDD was high, with a kappa value of 0.905 (95% CI = 0.850-0.960) for observers A and B, while the concordance between radiological and surgical findings was weak (kappa values = 0.213 and 0,248, respectively and 95% CI = 0.106 to 0.319 and 95% CI = 0.142 to 0.355, respectively). When overall morbidity, mortality and the need of a terminal colostomy were considered as main endpoints no concordance was observed between surgical and radiological findings and the CDD (P=NS). CONCLUSIONS: The need for a more accurate classification of ACD, able to better stage this emergency, and to provide surgeons with reliable information for the best treatment is advocated.

Effectiveness of conservative approach in right colon diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 10%-25% of patients with colon diverticular disease experience colonic diverticulitis during their lives. Right-sided diverticulosis is a rare condition in Western countries, but it is common among Asian countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and treatment outcomes in our patients with right colon diverticulitis. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data of 22 patients with a diagnosis of cecum and right-sided colon diverticulitis between 2014 and 2017 were analyzed. The Hinchey staging was applied according to the radiological evaluation and clinical findings. Then, the proportions of demographic and clinical features of the patients according to the Hinchey staging and its statistical significance were evaluated. RESULTS: Our study included 22 patients who suffered from right colon diverticulitis. The female-to-male ratio was 0.69. A total of 68.1% of the patients were the Hinchey Stage I, and 31.8% were the Hinchey Stage II, all of which were evaluated by tomography. The Hinchey Stage I diverticulitis was mostly found in the right colon (66.7%) and the Hinchey Stage II diverticulitis in the cecum (57.1%). The mean age of the Hinchey Stage II patients was higher (63.6 years) and statistically significant (p<0.05). Two patients had appendectomy, and one had right hemicolectomy. Conservative treatment was applied to other 19 patients. The mean hospitalization time was 3.4 days. Four patients who received conservative treatment at the 2-year follow-up had recurrence. No recurrence was observed in patients receiving surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Right colon diverticulitis is usually seen in solitary men aged <50 years from Eastern societies. As a treatment option, conservative methods should be preferred, especially in uncomplicated cases. Surgical treatment is usually used in the treatment of recurrent and complicated cases.

The "DICA" endoscopic classification for diverticular disease of the colon shows a significant interobserver agreement among community endoscopists.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: An endoscopic classification of Diverticular Disease (DD), called DICA (Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment) is currently available. It scores severity of the disease as DICA 1, DICA 2 and DICA 3. Our aim was to assess the agreement levels for this classification among an endoscopist community setting. METHODS: A total of 66 endoscopists independently scored a set of DD endoscopic videos. The percentages of overall agreement on the DICA score and a free-marginal multirater kappa (κ) coefficient were reported as statistical measures of the inter-rater agreement. RESULTS: The overall agreement levels were: 70.2% for DICA 1, 70.5% for DICA 2, 81.3% for DICA 3. The free marginal κ was: 0.553 for DICA 1, 0.558 for DICA 2, 0.719 for DICA 3. The agreement levels among the expert group were: 78.8% for DICA 1, 80.2% for DICA 2, 88.5% for DICA 3. The free marginal κ among the expert group were: 0.682 for DICA 1, 0.712 for DICA 2, 0.828 for DICA 3. The agreement of expert raters on the single item of the DICA classification was superior to the agreement of the overall group. CONCLUSIONS: The overall inter-rater agreement for DICA score in this study ranges from moderate to good, with a significant improvement in the expert subgroup of raters. Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment is a simple and reproducible endoscopic scoring system.

Current Controversies in the Management of Diverticulitis: A Review.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic diverticular disease is challenging for patients, clinicians and health services. The prevalence increases with age and BMI and as such, the burden of this disease is set to increase with higher rates of acute presentations already documented. The natural history of recurrent episodes, complications and symptom progression is not fully understood. Furthermore, medical and surgical management strategies are under constant appraisal, debate and evolution. METHODS: A review of the contemporary literature was performed to examine the emerging trend towards conservative treatment. RESULTS: Routine use of in-patient, intravenous antibiotics may not be required and outpatient management is possible for certain patients. Universal colonoscopy examination after uncomplicated acute diverticulitis is controversial but is mandatory after complicated episodes. Recent, high-profile, clinical trials suggest that less aggressive surgical management of both acute and chronic presentations may be feasible in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: Diverticulitis is a common yet challenging topic that demands clinicians to provide an individualised yet evidence-based approach.

Overview on the management of diverticular disease by Italian General Practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Although very common in Western countries, poor epidemiological data on diverticular disease (DD) is available from the family practice. AIMS: To evaluate the behavior of Italian General Practitioners (GPs) on approaching DD. METHODS: Health Search Database was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: On a population of 975,523 individuals, 33,597 patients had a registered diagnosis of DD ("lifetime" prevalence = 3.4%, M = 3.2%, F = 3.7%; higher values are found in females over-65 years old; low rates of complications: diverticulitis = 0.3%, bleeding = 0.002%). As risk factors, NSAIDs and ASA were taken by 14.8% and 26.5% respectively, opioids by 7.5%, corticosteroids by 5.2%; as protective factors, 30.4% were under statins and 17.7% under calcium-antagonists. Approximately 13% of patients were referred to specialists. Colonoscopy and abdominal CT were prescribed to 48.5% and to 13% of already diagnosed patients. Among DD sufferers, 27% experienced hospitalization, but only 3.4% of cases were for a DD-linked problem. Treatment included rifaximin (61%), mesalazine (14.7%), probiotics (12.4%), ciprofloxacin (7.6%). CONCLUSION: DD has a large impact in general practice with a higher prevalence in the elderly. GPs are required to pay particular attention to risk factors both for disease development and for its complications in order to reduce the costs deriving from diagnostic procedures, referral and hospitalization.

Laparoscopic approaches to complicated diverticulitis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this article is to review the evolving role of laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of complicated diverticulitis. PURPOSE: The authors attempted to give readers a concise insight into the evidence available in the English language literature. This study does not offer a systematic review of the topic, rather it highlights the role of laparoscopy in the treatment of complicated diverticulitis. CONCLUSIONS: New level 1 evidence suggest that observation rather than elective resection following nonoperative management of diverticulitis with abscess and/or extraluminal air is not below the standard of care. Implementation of nonoperative management may result in increased prevalence of sigmoid strictures.

The use of the modified Neff classification in the management of acute diverticulitis.

INTRODUCTION: Acute diverticulitis (AD) is increasingly seen in Emergency services. The application of a reliable classification is vital for its safe and effective management. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the combined use of the modified Neff radiological classification (mNeff) and clinical criteria (systemic inflammatory response syndrome [SIRS] and comorbidity) can ensure safe management of AD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective descriptive study in a population of patients diagnosed with AD by computerized tomography (CT). The protocol applied consisted in the application of the mNeff classification and clinical criteria of SIRS and comorbidity to guide the choice of outpatient treatment, admission, drainage or surgery. RESULTS: The study was carried out from February 2010 to February 2016. A total of 590 episodes of AD were considered: 271 women and 319 men, with a median age of 60 years (range: 25-92 years). mNeff grades were as follows: grade 0 (408 patients 70.6%); 376/408 (92%) were considered for home treatment; of these 376 patients, 254 (67.5%) were discharged and controlled by the Home Hospitalization Unit; 33 returned to the Emergency Room for consultation and 22 were re-admitted; the success rate was 91%. Grade Ia (52, 8.9%): 31/52 (59.6%) were considered for outpatient treatment; of these 31 patients, 11 (35.5%) were discharged; eight patients returned to the Emergency Room for consultation and five were re-admitted. Grade Ib (49, 8.5%): five surgery and two drainage. Grade II (30, 5.2%): ten surgery and four drainage. Grade III (5, 0.9%): one surgery and one drainage. Grade IV (34, 5.9%): ten patients showed good evolution with conservative treatment. Of the 34 grade IV patients, 24 (70.6%) underwent surgery, and three (8.8%) received percutaneous drainage. CONCLUSIONS: The mNeff classification is a safe, easy-to-apply classification based on CT findings. Together with clinical data and comorbidity data, it allows better management of AD.

An Update on the Current Management of Perforated Diverticulitis.

The management of perforated diverticulitis is a challenging aspect of general surgery. The prevalence of colonic diverticular disease has increased over the last decade and will continue to increase as the baby boomers add to the elderly population. Improvements in diagnostic imaging modalities, efforts to maintain intestinal continuity, and percutaneous drainage procedures now result in several alternatives when selecting a management strategy for complicated presentations. Specifically, laparoscopic lavage and resection with primary anastomosis have emerged as options for treatment of Hinchey III and IV diverticulitis in place of diversion in the appropriately selected patient. Percutaneous drainage of Hinchey II diverticulitis in centers equipped with interventional radiology provides another minimally invasive adjunct. The objective of this paper is to provide an update on the current management of perforated diverticulitis, with a focus on the advantages and disadvantages of the surgical options for the treatment of Hinchey III and IV diverticulitis.

[Sigmoid colon diverticulitis : Treatment modalities 2011-2013]. / Sigmadivertikulitis : Behandlungsmodalitäten 2011 bis 2013.

INTRODUCTION: Diverticulosis is a relevant disease in Germany with a prevalence of over 60 % in patients aged ≥70 years. The S2k guidelines for the treatment of diverticulosis were recently published. Systematic epidemiological data on treatment modalities do not exist. METHODS: Analysis of in-hospital treatment modalities for diverticulosis based on data from the Federal Office of Statistics. RESULTS: Approximately 130,000 inpatient cases of diverticulosis are treated in Germany per year. Approximately 25 % undergo surgery and of these slightly under 50 % (12,000 procedures) are carried out by laparoscopy. The complication rates are 18 % in a best case scenario and up to 85 % in a worst case scenario. A stage-adjusted classification of treatment modalities based on data from the Federal Office of Statistics is currently practically impossible. CONCLUSION: To enable stage-adjusted epidemiological analysis of diverticulosis, a standardized and transparent documentation system enabling systematic analysis is necessary, which does not currently exist (e. g. ICD 10 coding); moreover, information on conservative and interventional treatment options are not included in the operations and procedures key (OPS) coding system.

Multicenter validation of American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grading system for acute colonic diverticulitis and its use for emergency general surgery quality improvement program.

BACKGROUND: The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) has developed a new grading system for uniform description of anatomic severity of emergency general surgery (EGS) diseases, ranging from Grade I (mild) to Grade V (severe). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of AAST grades for acute colonic diverticulitis with patient outcomes. A secondary purpose was to propose an EGS quality improvement program using risk-adjusted center outcomes, similar to National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and Trauma Quality Improvement Program methodologies. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 1,105 patients (one death) from 13 centers. At each center, two reviewers (blinded to each other's assignments) assigned AAST grades. Interrater reliability was measured using κ coefficient. Relationship between AAST grade and clinical events (complications, intensive care unit use, surgical intervention, and 30-day readmission) as well as length of stay was measured using regression analyses to control for age, comorbidities, and physiologic status at the time of admission. Final model was also used to calculate observed-to-expected (O-E) ratios for adverse outcomes (death, complications, readmissions) for each center. RESULTS: Median age was 54 years, 52% were males, 43% were minorities, and 22% required a surgical intervention. Almost two thirds had Grade I or II disease. There was a high level of agreement for grades between reviewers (κ = 0.81). Adverse events increased from 13% for Grade I, to 18% for Grade II, 28% for Grade III, 44% for Grade IV, and 50% for Grade V. Regression analysis showed that higher disease grades were independently associated with all clinical events and length of stay, after adjusting for age, comorbidities, and physiology. O-E ratios showed statistically insignificant variations in risk of death, complications, or readmissions. CONCLUSION: AAST grades for acute colonic diverticulitis are independently associated with clinical outcomes and resource use. EGS quality improvement program methodology that incorporates AAST grade, age, comorbidities, and physiologic status may be used for measuring quality of EGS care. High-quality EGS registries are essential for developing meaningful quality metrics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic study, level V.

[Acute sigmoid diverticulitis: toward a more and more conservative treatment]. / Diverticulites sigmoïdiennes aiguës: vers un traitement de plus en plus conservateur.

Acute diverticulitis of the colon is a frequent pathology especially among elderly people and people of Caucasian origin. The prevalence is higher among sedentary people and in people with low-fiber diet. Its diagnosis is mainly based on computed tomography (CT) that allows guiding the therapeutic management. Over the last few years the treatment of acute diverticulitis has passably changed with in particular an evolution toward a restriction of the elective and emergency surgery indications and a reduction of the antiobiotherapy and hospitalization number. This article reviews the epidemiology, the diagnostic tools, and the management of this frequent digestive pathology.

[Treatment of acute purulent diverticulitis is still not clarified]. / Valg af behandling af akut, purulent divertikulitis er uafklaret.

Inflammation in colonic diverticula can develop into acute diverticulitis. Treatment varies depending on illness severity. Perforated diverticulitis with faecal peritonitis is treated surgically and Hartmann's procedure is the preferred operation. Peritoneal lavage might be an alternative to resection for purulent peritonitis. However, ongoing randomized trials are awaited to clarify this.

[Diverticular disease - timing of surgery in demand]. / Divertikelkrankheit - Wann ist der Chirurg gefragt?

In preparation for operations of patients with diverticular disease an adequate medical indication has to be performed. The new classification of sigmoid diverticulitis corresponding to the German guidelines for diverticular disease classification (GGDDC) enables an appropriate strategy for evaluating the indications and selection of the time for surgery. New is, that the uncomplicated form of diverticulitis indicates an operation in exceptional case only. Furthermore the frequency of diverticulitis-exacerbation does not influence the indication for surgery any more.