[Surgical treatment of colonic diverticulosis: results of a series of 70 cases].

Results are reported on a series of 70 patients operated upon for colon diverticulosis, surgery being elective in only 23 (32.9%) cases. Global mortality (12.9%), was higher in patients over 70 years of age (P < 0.01) and for emergency cases (17% against 4.3% (NS) after cold surgery). Global morbidity was 20%, the onset of septic complications being influenced (p < 0.01) only by treatment with antiinflammatory drugs. Despite the absence of precise factors predictive of the course of diverticular disease, it should be possible to further improve the very poor prognosis in patients with serious septic complications (Hinchley's stages I to IV) by: prophylactic colectomy in symptomatic diverticulosis, improved evaluation by complementary examinations, notably the scanner, of localized septic complications (stages I and II), with the possible association of guided puncture to avoid the septic areas and to allow performance of a cold colectomy without the need for colostomy. Certain severe septic complications may still develop and these cannot be totally prevented by any therapy. In these cases preference is given to resection of the septic focus using mainly Hartmann's operative techniques. Further studies are needed to evaluate those cases where protected anastomotic resection provides the best results, since in the long term the incidence of re-establishment is higher.