Does Sigmoidectomy for Recurrent Diverticulitis Have an Impact on Patients’ Quality of Life?

A Campos, MD, Esteban Grzona, MD, F Carballo, MD, M Maya, MD, A Canelas, MD, M Laporte, MD, M Bun, MD, C Peczan, MD, N Rotholtz, MD

Colorectal Surgery Division – Hospital Aleman de Buenos Aires. Argentina.

BACKGROUND: The indication of surgical treatment for recurrent diverticulitis has had changed and at present there are still some imprecisions. For these reasons it would be important to know if patients undergoing surgery for recurrent diverticulitis have any significant variation in their quality of life.

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate if sigmoidectomy for recurrent diverticular disease has an impact on patients’ quality of life.

DESIGN: Observational study

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between December 2003 and April 2012 the patients undergoing surgery for recurrent diverticulitis (G1) were analyzed. The SF-36 quality of life questionnaire was used for such assesment. This questionnaire was also taken by people who’ve never had diverticulitis (G2). Raw punctuations between 0 and 100 were analyzed for each dimension. The SF-36 quality of life questionnaire data was obtained through an electronic survey. The T Student test was used to evaluate the differences among the SF-36 dimensions. All statistical data with p < 0.05 was considered significant. The “SPSS 19” statistical package was used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS: In the period of time referred above, 322 patients with diverticulitis were admitted. One hundred senty eight of them underwent elective laparoscopic sigmoid resection. One hundred and seventy three questionnaires were completed, 123 (71%) from G2 and 50 (29%) from G1. Three patients from G1 (6%) had recurrent diverticulitis symptoms after surgery. The results of the comparison between the means of the questionnaire’s dimensions were: physical functioning: 54.0 vs 47.6; role-physical: 52.8 vs 49.2; bodily pain: 28.0 vs 31.5; general health: 40.8 vs 41.4; vitality: 47.7 vs 49.8; social functioning: 35.3 vs 35.2; role-emotional: 48.8 vs 47.4; mental health: 33.9 vs 34.2; physical component summary: 47.2 vs 44.8; mental component summary: 38.2 vs 39.7. None of these parameters were statistically significant between the groups.

CONCLUSION: Patients underwent laparoscopic sigmoid resection for recurrent diverticulitis have a similar post operatory quality of life than general population. There is a minority of patients who will have diverticulitis recurrence after surgery.

Session: Poster Presentation

Program Number: P053