Diagnosis and treatment of colonic diverticulitis

Colonic diverticulosis is a common condition and the most frequent occasional finding during fibrocolonoscopy in asymptomatic patients in Western countries. The incidence rate of diverticulitis is relatively high. The descending and sigmoid colon are the predominant locations of the disease. The study aimed to analyze the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of a single institution series of 104 consecutive patients with colonic diverticulitis treated at the Clinic of Visceral Surgery, Hospital of Wallis, Switzerland, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. The mean age of patients was 63.37 years (±14.79). The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, leukocytosis, elevated CRP levels, diagnostic imaging (abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography) and fibrocolonoscopy. Treatment schemes included analgesics and antibiotics in all the cases and elective or emergency surgery – in 32 cases. The study demonstrated that an individualized treatment approach based on accurate laboratory and imaging diagnostics was both safe and effective.