Background and Aims: Sigmoid diverticulosis is a disease of the elderly. Diverticulitis occurs in 25% of these patients, of which 5% will need intervention. Due to associated co-morbidities, surgery carries considerable morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients undergoing surgery for diverticulitis in the immediate post-operative period and 6 months after surgery.      

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients operated upon for sigmoid diverticulitis from January 1998 to December 2016. All relevant data was tabulated. Complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months after their last intervention.

Results: Ninety-six patients with sigmoid diverticulitis were operated.  The median age was 66 years and 50 were females. Twenty-five patients had uncomplicated disease, 71 had complicated disease. Emergency surgery was performed in 17 patients. Sixteen patients with complicated abscesses treatment was attempted by CT or laparoscopic guided drainage. Elective surgery was done in 78 patients, of which 21 had laparoscopic resections. Six patients died after surgery, nine required re-interventions. Eighty-four patients reported a satisfactory outcome while 5 had recurrent pain, 4 troublesome hernias and 3 had severe constipation.

Conclusion: Surgery for sigmoid diverticulitis carries significant morbidity requiring re-surgery and often prolonged hospital stay. In patients with complicated abscesses, we resort to CT or laparoscopic drainage and later an elective one stage resection. Since 2014 we have attempted laparoscopic resections whenever possible to reduce morbidity. 

A satisfactory outcome was reported by 88% of patients.