title: The laparoscopic approach in the treatment of diverticular colon disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The experience with treatment of diverticular colon disease (DCD) by the laparoscopic method is analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1994 and July 1997, a group of 22 patients with criteria for symptomatic diverticular disease in the descending and sigmoid colon underwent laparoscopy with average resections of 40 cm. Intra-abdominal mechanical anastomosis completed the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The operative morbidity was 28%. Two cases, in acute diverticulitis phase, were reconverted to open surgery, and three cases presented postoperative rectorrhagia which ceased spontaneously. No long-term complications have been found. Postoperative hospitalization was 4-8 days (mean 5.5) and mean operative time was 165 minutes (range 120-240).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nevertheless, the learning curve precise to practice this type of surgery, the acceptable morbity-mortality rates which the laparoscopic method presents, especially with these high-risk groups of patients (age > 65, high blood pressure, etc), encouraged us to modified the criteria indicating surgery for the disease, offering first choice operative treatment with efficiency and safety. However, we feel that those patients with acute complications of diverticular colon disease must be excluded initially for laparoscopic approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Medina del Campo Hospital, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Carbajo Caballero
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Martín del Olmo
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Cuesta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atienza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods; D012809:Colon, Sigmoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004241:Diverticulum, Colon / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome