EP.TU.809Challenges in management of acute diverticulitis within a district general hospital

Aim Incidence of perforated sigmoid diverticular disease is estimated at 3.4 to 4.5 per 100,000. Perforation may be the first manifestation of complicated diverticulitis with a range of 50% to 70%. We aim to review management of systemically unwell patients with acute diverticulitis in a district general hospital against the 2019 NICE guidelines. Methods 29 patients presenting septic with acute diverticulitis, M:F ratio 12:17, median age 55 (range 24-82), median ASA 2 (range 0-3) were retrospectively reviewed over a 6-month period. Results Mean time to antibiotics was 3.96 hours (range 0-23.11). Of the 7 with perforated diverticulitis severity classification included: Hinchey I – n = 1, 3.4%; Hinchey IIa – 5 (17.2%), and; Hinchey IIb – 1 (3.4%). Time to CT abdomen pelvis was 3.38 hours (range 0-16.4 hours). Two pericolic abscesses met NICE drainage criteria at 3.7 cm and 3.9 cm respectively. The 3.7 cm abscess was drained radiologically at 7 days post-admission and was re-admitted 6 days later requiring further radiological drainage. The patient with a 3.9 cm abscess received a Hartmann’s procedure and had multiple re-admissions requiring a hospital stay of 34 days. There was 0% mortality at 30 days. Conclusion Management of acute diverticulitis continues to present a unique challenge. For systemically unwell patients, timely administration of antibiotics within an hour of sepsis recognition is encouraged to optimise outcomes. Timely cross-sectional imaging is pivotal in disease classification and decision-making regarding acute management. Interventional drainage and surgical resection remain important therapeutic strategies for unwell patients with Hinchey grade II diverticulitis.