Diverticulitis - A comprehensive follow-up

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to examine the long-term results of medical and surgical management for diverticulitis. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients admitted to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, between January 1991 and February 1994, was conducted. Of 78 patients included in the study, 65 were able to be contacted for follow-up. RESULTS: The surgically treated group consisted of 33 patients, and medically treated group had 32 patients. Of the medically treated group, 62.5 percent were found to have continuing symptoms. Medically treated patients with a long history and infrequent flares tended to be less symptomatic after hospitalization. Conversely, those medical patients with a short intense history were more likely to have symptoms. The frequency of symptoms in the surgical group was surprising, because 27.2 percent of this group reported continuing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Close follow-up of medically treated patients for objective evidence of diverticulitis is indicated. When surgical therapy is undertaken, patients should be counseled that symptoms may be largely unchanged following operation.