Reversal of Hartmann's procedure after perforated diverticulitis through the stomal side without additional...

Reversal of Hartmann's procedure (HP) is a complex operation and only performed in 50-60% of the patients. Stomal incision reversal (SIR), a new minimally invasive procedure for HP reversal, was assessed and compared to the standard surgical approach.

16 patients who had undergone HP for perforated diverticulitis underwent HP reversal by SIR. The only incision in SIR is the one to release the end colostomy. Intra-abdominal adhesiolysis is done manually. A stapled end-to-end colorectal anastomosis is created. The 16 patients who underwent SIR were compared with 32 control patients who were matched according to gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification and Hinchey stage.

The operation time was shorter after SIR than after reversal by laparotomy [75 min (58-208) vs. 141 min (85-276); p < 0.001]. Patients after SIR had a shorter hospital stay than patients after laparotomy [4 days (2-22) vs. 9 days (4-64); p < 0.001]. The numbers of total postoperative surgical complications (early and late) were not different (p = 0.13). The anastomotic leakage rate was similar in both groups (6%). The conversion rate in the SIR group was 19% (n = 3).

SIR compared favorably with HP reversal by laparotomy in terms of operation time and hospital stay, without increasing the number of postoperative complications.