Treatment of right-sided diverticulitis in a western center

Aim: To evaluate options and outcomes for the treatment of right colonic divertic- ulitis. Method: We included only the patients undergone surgery with right colon diver- ticulitis (RCD) proven at histologic specimen examination from September 2011 to March 2016. Results: We performed 18 interventions for RCD. Age was lower respect to left sided disease (49 16 vs 67 14; P < 0.001). 3 patients were Asian (17.6%). RCD was diagnosed preoperatively in 8 cases (44.4%), while appendicitis was sus- pected in 9 cases (50%) and neoplasm in one (5.6%). We performed resection with anastomosis in 13 patients (72.2%) and in 5 cases we performed a diverticulectomy. Laparoscopy was performed in 14 cases (77.8%). Postoperative morbidity occurred in 3 patients (16.7%; grade 2 or 3a according to Clavien-Dindo) with no mortality. No postoperative events were recorded after diverticulectomy with shorter hospital stay (4 1.5 vs 11 13; P = 0.022), no recurrence or need for elective surgery after mean follow-up of 20 months. Conclusion: Right sided colon diverticulitis is a rare but not irrelevant condition. Minimally invasive surgery is often feasible and complication rate is low. In selected patients diverticulectomy can be a valid option to treat this condition providing bet- ter postoperative results.