Home treatment of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis

Abstract

Diverticular disease of the colon is a common disease, mainly in the population over 50 years of age. In acute forms of presentation, we considered home treatment in those patients that were classified as having uncomplicated forms by means of clinical presentation and a computed tomography of the abdomen. According to these criteria, we treated 38 patients at home and admitted 18 patients to the hospital during the same period of time. No severe complications developed in the home-treatment patients. Home treatment is an effective alternative treatment for patients with uncomplicated acute diverticulitis. In uncomplicated acute diverticulitis, home treatment benefits the patient, over hospitalization, by allowing better management of resources and by keeping the patient in a familiar environment where there is no risk of a nosocomial infection.