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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Coloproctology 2022; 42(04): 302-307
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1757953
Original Article

Case Series of Right Colon Diverticulitis in the West: A Neglected Disease?

Lucas Faraco Sobrado 
1   Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2   Department of Oncology and Proctology, Instituto de Gastrocirurgia, Oncologia e Proctologia (IGOP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Tarsila Gomes Caldas 
1   Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Carolina Graciolli Facanali 
1   Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Leonardo Bustamente-Lopez 
1   Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Carlos Walter Sobrado 
1   Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2   Department of Oncology and Proctology, Instituto de Gastrocirurgia, Oncologia e Proctologia (IGOP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Funding The authors declare that they have received no funding pertaining to the present study.
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Abstract

Introduction Right colon diverticulitis (RCD) is an uncommon condition in Western populations, but its incidence has increased over the last decades. Due to its rarity, many surgeons are unfamiliar with this disease, which is often mistakenly diagnosed as acute appendicitis. The lack of data about the diagnosis and management of RCD in Western populations makes it difficult to establish the optimal therapeutic strategy.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes of patients treated for acute RCD and to propose a therapeutic algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment.

Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients treated for acute RCD between 2008 and 2020 by a single experienced colorectal surgeon was performed.

Results In total, 12 patients were identified, 8 male and 4 female subjects, with a mean age of 49.6 years; 9 of these patients were of Western origin. The median follow-up time was of 49 months (range: 12 to 144 months). The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (100%) and fever (66%). Diagnostic errors in imaging exams occurred in four patients. A total of 6 patients were managed clinically, and the other 6 underwent surgical treatment with right colectomy (n = 5) and total colectomy (n = 1), 2 via laparoscopy and 4 through a laparotomy. The anatomopathological examination confirmed RCD in all operated patients. There was no incidental finding of neoplasia and there were no deaths during the study period.

Conclusion Uncomplicated RCD can be treated conservatively with a high success rate. Recurrent cases that impact quality of life or complicated forms of RCD should undergo surgical treatment, preferably through a right laparoscopic colectomy. The authors present a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm to facilitate the diagnosis and to guide the management of this uncommon disease.

Keywords

colon - diverticulitis - right colon diverticulitis - classification - treatment - algorithm


Publication History

Received: 12 August 2022

Accepted: 15 September 2022

Article published online:
22 December 2022

© 2022. Sociedade Brasileira de Coloproctologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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