title: Laparoscopy improves short-term outcomes after surgery for diverticular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Observational studies and small randomized controlled trials have shown that the use of laparoscopy in colon resection for diverticular disease is feasible and results in fewer complications. We analyzed data from a large, prospectively maintained, multicenter database (National Surgical Quality Initiative Program) to determine whether the use of laparoscopy in the elective treatment of diverticular disease decreases rates of complications compared with open surgery, independent of preoperative comorbid factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis included data from 6970 patients who underwent elective surgeries for diverticular disease from 2005 to 2008. Patients with diverticular disease were identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision codes and then categorized into open or laparoscopic groups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were analyzed to determine factors associated with increased risk for postoperative complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were analyzed from 3468 patients who underwent open surgery and 3502 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures. After correcting for probability of morbidity, American Society of Anesthesiology class, and ostomy creation, overall complications (including superficial surgical site infections, deep incisional surgical site infections, sepsis, and septic shock) occurred with significantly lower incidence among patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures compared with those who received open operations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of laparoscopy for treating diverticular disease, in the absence of absolute contraindications, results in fewer postoperative complications compared with open surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53972, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Russ
authors.forename: Kari L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Obma
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajamanickam
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Heise
authors.forename: Eugene F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harms
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D004238:Diverticulitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control