Is different approach needed for acute diverticulitis in younger patients?
Acute diverticulitis is the most common complication of diverticular disease, and its clinical presentation varies from mild local inflammation to full-blown perforation. After resolution of an acute episode, the best management strategy is as yet undefined, due to the risk of further episodes and the risk associated with elective surgical resection. Historically, surgical resection has been advocated after one episode of complicated diverticulitis (diverticulitis with perforation of the bowel wall, which manifests as intra-abdominal abscesses or peritonitis) and after one episode of uncomplicated disease (local inflammation) for patients younger than 50 years old. However, this aggressive strategy for younger patients has been questioned by several researchers...