A hospital Protocol for decision making in Emergency Admission for Acute Diverticulitis: Initial Results from Small Cohort series

Background and objectives: We present initial results from a small cohort series for a hospital protocol related to the emergency hospitalization decision-making process for acute diverticulitis. We performed a retrospective analysis of 53 patients with acute diverticulitis admitted to the Department of Emergency and Trauma Surgery of the "Azienda Ospedaliero Universiaria-Ospedali Riuniti" in Ancona and to the Department of General and Emergency Surgery of the "Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria" in Perugia. Materials and Methods: All patients were evaluated according to hemodynamic status: stable or unstable. Secondly, it was distinguished whether patients were suffering from complicated or uncomplicated forms of diverticulitis. Finally, each patient was assigned to a risk class. In this way, we established a therapeutic/diagnostic process for each group of patients. Results: Non-operative treatment (NonOP) was performed in 16 patients, and it was successful in 69% of cases. This protocol primarily considers the patient's clinical condition and the severity of the disease. It is based on a multidisciplinary approach, in order to implement the most suitable treatment for each patient. In stable patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis or complicated Hinchey grade 1 or 2 diverticulitis, the management is conservative. In all grade 3 and grade 4 forms, patients should undergo urgent surgery. Conclusions: This protocol, which is based on both anatomical damage and the severity of clinical conditions, aims to standardize the choice of the best diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for the patient in order to reduce mortality and morbidity related to this pathology

Diverticulitis, surgery, evidence-based medicine, and the Steve Jobs' dots: a narrative review

PurposeEmergency treatment of acute diverticulitis remains a hazy field. Despite a number of clinical studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), guidelines and surgical societies recommendations, the most critical hot topics have yet to be addressed.MethodsLiterature research from 1963 until today was performed. Data regarding the principal RCTs and observational studies were summarized in descriptive tables. In particular we aimed to focus on the following topics: the role of laparoscopy, the acute care setting, the RCTs, guidelines, observational studies and classifications proposed by literature, the problem in case of a pandemic, and the importance of adapting treatment /place/surgeon conditions.ResultsIn the evaluation of these points we did not try to find any prospective evolution of the concepts achievements. On the contrary we simply report the individuals strands of research from a retrospective point of view, similarly to what Steve Jobes said: "you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future". We have finally obtained what can be defined "a narrative review of the literature on diverticulitis".ConclusionsNot only evidence-based medicine but also the contextualization, as also the role of 'competent' surgeons, should guide to novel approach in acute diverticulitis management