Acute and complicated diverticulitis : are there significant differences between young and elderly patients?

The aim of our study was to assess if there were any differences in clinical presentation , management, and out-come , between younger and elderly patients with acute diverticulitis (AD) In our experience , non significant difference were recorded about Hinchey's stage, timing of surgery, morbidity, length of hospital stay and recurrence; whereas , regarding the type of surgery (resection-anastomosis, Hartmann's procedures and lavage/drainage) there were a significant difference (p=0.04) Conclusions: Hartmann's procedure have been effectuated more frequently in elderly than in the young patients, with recanalization in less than half of elderly. These data seems to confirm that there is no significant difference in incidence or the natural course of acute complicated colonic diverticulitis among the young or the elderly. The best surgical treatment , with the least morbidity, may be resection with primary anastomosis.