DIVERTICULAR DISEASE OF RIGHT COLON

One hundred and eight patients underwent surgery for complications of diverticular disease of the right colon at The Queen's, St. Francis, and Kuakini Hospitals during the ten-year period ending December 31, 1965. Ninety-two per cent were non-Caucasian Orientals. Surgery was required for acute diverticulitis in 58 patients, chronic diverticular disease in 43, hemorrhage in six, and obstruction in one. Colectomy was performed as the primary procedure in 67 patients, diverticular surgery was employed in 31, and 10 patients underwent exploration. Three of the last group underwent colectomy subsequently. There was no postoperative mortality. In Hawaii, diverticular disease of the right colon appears to be a distinct clinical entity. It occurs most commonly in the 40-year-old non-Caucasian Oriental, Usually the diverticula are multiple and colectomy provides satisfactory results. © 1968 the American Proctologic Society.