Surgical treatment of colonic diverticulitis: a report of 205 cases

In a series of 205 patients treated for colonic diverticulitis, 101 presented acute complications, 35 chronic complications and 69 attacks of diverticulitis without complications. The treatment prescribed for the acute septic complications (generalized peritonitis, perisigmoidic abscess) as well as for acute occlusions consists of two-stage surgery: drainage and emergency colostomy, then secondary colectomy in elective conditions. Massive incoercible hemorrhages were treated by emergency hemostatic resection, guided by selective mesenteric arteriography. Chronic complications (inflammatory stenosing tumor, external or internal fistulas) are ideally treated by a one-stage colic resection. As postoperative mortality and morbidity rates are high and caused by acute conditions, it is justifiable to perform a prophylactic colic resection.