ReviewLeft colon acute diverticulitis: An update on diagnosis, treatment and prevention

- Diverticulosis of the colon represents significant costs for national health systems.
- Acute diverticulitis shows an increasing prevalence.
- Improvements have been achieved about diagnosis and treatment of acute diverticulitis.
- The timing of surgery has been reviewed recently both in urgency and in election.
- The antibiotic therapy seems to have a different role compared to past.

Diverticulosis of the colon is a common disease with an increasing incidence in Western Countries. It represents a significant burden for National Health Systems in terms of costs. Most people with diverticulosis remain asymptomatic, about one quarter of them will develop an episode of symptomatic diverticular disease and up to 5% an episode of acute diverticulitis (AD). AD shows an increasing prevalence.Recently, progresses have been reached about the etiology, pathogenesis, natural course of diverticular disease and its complications; improvements about the diagnosis and treatment of AD have been achieved. However, the treatment options are not well defined because of a lack of solid evidence: there are few systematic reviews and well conducted trials to guide decision-making in the treatment of AD and in the prevention of its recurrences.This review describes the recent evidence about diagnosis, treatment and prevention of AD.