complicated acute diverticulitis

Q: Which pathologies qualify as complicated acute diverticulitis?

Answer: Any of the following major associated pathology qualifies acute diverticulitis as complicated:

1. frank perforation

2. obstruction

3. abscess

4. fistulization

Clinical significance: The rate of colonic cancer detection on follow-up colonoscopy after complicated diverticulitis is between 8 to 11 percent, whereas, in uncomplicated diverticulitis, it is only 0.5 to 0.7 percent.

#GI

#oncology

References:

1. Linzay CD, Pandit S. Acute Diverticulitis. 2022 Aug 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 29083630.

2. Balk EM, Adam GP, Cao W, et al. Evaluation and Management After Acute Left-Sided Colonic Diverticulitis : A Systematic Review. Ann Intern Med 2022; 175:388.

3. Rottier SJ, van Dijk ST, van Geloven AAW, et al. Meta-analysis of the role of colonoscopy after an episode of left-sided acute diverticulitis. Br J Surg 2019; 106:988.