Surgical management of complicated diverticulitis: a comparison of the laparoscopic and open approaches

Laparoscopy has become a commonly used method of performing colectomies, but the outcomes associated with laparoscopy in the emergency setting have not been well studied.

The American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database was queried for patients with diverticulitis without hemorrhage who underwent a colectomy. Patient data retrieved included demographics and preoperative comorbidities. Each member of the cohort received either a primary anastomosis (PA) or a colostomy. Open and laparoscopic procedures were compared within these subgroups. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to compare the risk-adjusted odds of postoperative morbidity and mortality for laparoscopic and open procedures. The risk-adjusted impact of preoperative comorbidities was also assessed.

A total of 11,981 patients in the database met the study criteria. The majority were female (53%) and Caucasian (82%), and the mean age was 58 (±13) years. Comorbidities of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, or renal systems were present in 47%, 5%, and 1% of the cohort, respectively. On bivariate analysis, patients undergoing laparoscopy experienced lower rates of complications with both PA (14% vs 26%, p < 0.001) and colostomy (30% vs 37%, p = 0.02). The laparoscopic approach was associated with decreased mortality rates for patients undergoing PA (0.24% vs 0.79%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities were each associated with increased postoperative morbidity, and that the laparoscopic approach was associated with lower postoperative morbidity for patients undergoing PA. The reduced risk of death for patients undergoing laparoscopic PA (vs open approach) did not achieve statistical significance (odds ratio 0.68, p = 0.3). A small number of patients underwent laparoscopic colostomy (n = 237, 2.4%), and they did not have a significantly different risk of death.

The laparoscopic approach is associated with lower complication rates compared with the open approach for the surgical treatment of diverticulitis with a primary anastomosis.