Assessing the Optimal Surgical Approach for Complicated Diverticulitis in the Emergency Setting: Results from a Cohort Study Using National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The optimal surgical approach for complicated diverticulitis in the emergency setting remains controversial. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes associated with Hartmann's procedure (HP) and primary anastomosis (with and without ileostomy) in patients diagnosed with complicated diverticulitis. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Data were collected from the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participant user files from 2016 to 2021. A total of 25,458 patients with acute diverticulitis and emergency surgery were included. The patients were categorized into three groups: those who underwent HP, those who underwent primary anastomosis with ileostomy and those who underwent primary anastomosis without ileostomy. The primary outcomes assessed were medical-related morbidity and anastomotic leak. Secondary outcomes included mortality, unplanned readmission, and length of in-hospital stay. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Compared to patients who underwent the primary anastomosis procedure, the HP group displayed significantly higher rates of medical-related morbidity, and higher mortality rates, even after multivariate adjustment and propensity score analysis. Patients who received the ileostomy exhibited a statistically significantly higher medical-related morbidity and unplanned readmission rates. However, aside from these outcomes, the two groups did not exhibit significantly different rates in any of the other outcomes studied, including anastomotic leak. In patients with septic shock, primary anastomosis without diverting loop ileostomy was associated with significantly lower unplanned readmission when compared with the ileostomy group. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Primary anastomosis demonstrated superior outcomes when compared with HP, and there are potential benefits of avoiding a diverting loop ileostomy. Hemodynamical status was not associated with worse prognosis in the primary anastomosis group.