Surgical treatment of complicated right colonic diverticulitis: laparoscopic versus open surgery

Complicated right colonic diverticulitis is more common in Eastern countries. Although this disease entity is treated primarily with surgery, it is uncertain whether the outcomes of laparoscopic treatment also are comparable with those of open surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome for laparoscopic surgical management of complicated right-sided colonic diverticulitis compared with that for open surgery.

Between 1999 and 2011, 59 patients who underwent extensive surgery for complicated right colonic diverticulitis were enrolled from two hospitals. All the patients were suspected of having a large abscess or perforation with peritonitis symptoms preoperatively. Laparoscopic surgery was performed for 28 consecutive patients in the one hospital, and open surgery was performed for 31 consecutive patients in the other hospital. There was no conversion in the laparoscopic surgery cases. Clinical outcomes were analyzed and compared between the two groups.

Laparoscopic surgery had a longer operating time (165 min) than open surgery (132 min) (p = 0.003). The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of postoperative hospital stay (laparoscopy 9.8 ± 2.7 days versus open surgery 12.8 ± 8.8 days; p = 0.234) or resumption of diet (laparoscopy 5.5 ± 2.4 days versus open surgery 6.3 ± 3.0 days; p = 0.286). Five patients in the laparoscopy group (17.8 %) had complications such as ileus, abscess, and bleeding, one of whom was treated with surgery. Nine patients in the open surgery group (29 %) had complications, two of whom were treated with surgery.

The laparoscopic approach to complicated right colonic diverticulitis may be feasible. The clinical outcomes were comparable with those for open surgery.