Damage control strategy for the management of perforated diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis: laparoscopic lavage and drainage vs. laparoscopic Hartmann's procedure

This study was designed to compare laparoscopic peritoneal lavage and drainage (LLD) with laparoscopic Hartmann's procedure (LHP) in the management of perforated diverticulitis and to investigate a safer and more effective laparoscopic method for managing acute perforated diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis. A consecutive series of patients who underwent emergent LHP or LLD for perforated diverticulitis were identified from a prospectively designed database. All procedure-related information was collected and analyzed. P < 5 % was considered statistically significant in this study. A total of 88 patients underwent emergent laparoscopic procedures (47 LLD and 41 LHP) between 1995 and 2010 for acute perforated diverticulitis. Diagnostic laparoscopy classified 74 (84.1 %) patients as Hinchey III or IV perforated diverticulitis. OT for LHP was 182 +/- A 54.7 min, and EBL was 210 +/- A 170.5 ml. Six LHP (14.6 %) were converted to open Hartmann's for various reasons. Moreover the rates of LHP-associated postoperative mortality and morbidity were 2.4 and 17.1 %, respectively. For LLD, the operating time was 99.7 +/- A 39.8 min, and blood loss was 34.4 +/- A 21.2 ml. Three patients (6.4 %) were reoperated for the worsening of septic symptoms during post-LLD course. Moreover, the patients with LHP had significantly longer hospital stay than the ones with LLD did (16.3 +/- A 10.1 vs. 6.7 +/- A 2.2 days, P < 0.01). In the long-term follow-up, the rate of colostomy closure for LHP is 72.2 %, and 21 of 47 patients who underwent LLD had elective sigmoidectomy for the source control with the rate of 44.7 %. Both LHP and LLD can be performed safely and effectively for managing severe diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis. Compared with LHP, LLD does not remove the pathogenic source; however, the clinical application of this damage control operation to our patients showed significantly better short- and long-term clinical outcomes for managing perforated diverticulitis with various Hinchey classifications.