Impact of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy on Recurrence of Diverticulitis: Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract To assess whether pelvic floor physiotherapy (PFPT) can reduce the risk of readmission with recurrent diverticulitis following an initial episode. This is a retrospective analysis of patients admitted to hospital with acute diverticulitis who were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. Data on the episodes of diverticulitis, patient demographics and comorbidities, anorectal investigations and PFPT were collected and analyzed. A total of 50 consecutive patients were reviewed by a colorectal surgeon following an episode of acute diverticulitis. The rate of recurrent diverticulitis within 2-years was 20% in the group who received PFPT (PT) compared to 50% in the group who did not (NPT), and was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.041). The difference in rates of operative and radiological interventions for those with recurrent diverticulitis was not found to be statistically significant between the groups. This retrospective cohort study demonstrates a potential benefit of PFPT in the prevention of recurrent diverticulitis. Based on these findings, a larger prospective randomized study is planned to corroborate and quantify this relationship.