Emergency surgery of complicated colonic diverticulitis

Colon diverticular disease is an increasingly frequent disorder especially in Western populations characterized by high living standards. In 30-40% of subjects over 60 years of age barium enema detects the presence of diverticula in the sigma. 10-20% of patients affected by colon diverticular disease develop complications such as inflammation or haemorrhage and 20-30% of these patients undergo surgery (60% of patients aged less than 40). Emergency surgery is performed in 50% of cases and it is currently burdened by high mortality rates. We decided to review our cases history to clarify the indication for emergency surgery, the appropriateness to resect the diseased bowel tract and to perform colic anastomosis at the time of emergency resection.