Solitary caecal diverticulitis: Comparison of operative and non operative treatment

To evaluate the treatment options applied to solitary caecal diverticulitis patients, and to explore the possibility of non-operative treatments.

The retrospective study was conducted a tertiary referral centre, and comprised data of patients who presented with acute abdominal pain and were diagnosed either preoperatively or intraoperatively as cases of solitary caecal diverticulitis between January 2009 and December 2017. Data on demographics, physical examination findings, laboratory results, treatment modalities and outpatient clinical records was noted, and analysed analysed using SPSS 21.

Of the 580 patients whose medical records were reviewed, 11(1.89%) were diagnosed as cases of solitary caecal diverticulitis. Of them, 6(54.5%) patients were treated conservatively, and 5(45.4%) surgically. The disease recurred in 1(9%) patient who was treated conservatively. Among those treated surgically, 1(20%) patient had hemicolectomy, and the rest had appendectomy and/or diverticulectomy and drainage procedures. There were no major complications during the follow- up.

With accurate diagnosis during preoperative period, the spread of the pathology helps to choose the best suitable surgical technique. Appendectomy should be performed to avoid future diagnostic confusion.