Right-sided colonic diverticulitis – 10 years’ experience from a tertiary centre

Abstract

Aim: The incidence of right‐sided diverticulitis is much higher in Asians compared to Caucasians. We aimed to determine the clinical characteristics of right colonic diverticulitis and the outcome of patients requiring emergency operation. Method: Retrospective review of patients admitted with diverticulitis from 2005 to 2014 to a tertiary referral unit. Patient demographics, clinical presentation, need for emergency surgery and perioperative outcome were analysed. Results: In total 393 patients presented with diverticulitis, of which 224 (57%) were right‐sided disease. The mean age was 52 years, 92 (41%) patients were male. All patients complained of abdominal pain while leucocytosis and fever were present in 73% and 36% of patients respectively. The mean hospital stay was 5.7 days. The majority of patients (92%) were Greaney grade I and II. Of the 224 patients, 68 (30%) underwent emergency surgery for either suspected appendicitis or the development of life‐threatening complications. Operative morbidity and mortality were 4% and 1.4% respectively. Conclusion: Right‐sided diverticulitis is an important clinical diagnosis, especially in the Asian population. Although symptoms are similar to left‐sided diverticulitis, clinical course is usually more benign. When surgery is performed for life‐threatening complications, it is associated with a low morbidity and mortality.