Background: Functional results after elective colonic resection in patients with diverticular disease have seldom been studied.
Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients were reviewed and sent a questionnaire about abdominal symptoms and functional results. Possible associations between patients' characteristics and postoperative complications or functional outcome were analyzed.
Results: Major complications including anastomotic leakage, bleeding, and bowel obstruction occurred in 10 patients (13%). Six patients (8%) had recurrent diverticulitis. No significant associations were found between clinical characteristics and postoperative complications or recurrent disease. Fifty patients classified their final result as excellent or good. Functional symptoms or symptoms suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome before the operation predicted a less successful result (P <0.05).
Conclusions: Elective surgery in patients with diverticular disease was hampered by postoperative complications but resulted in most cases in good functional outcome and a low rate of recurrent disease. Those with functional bowel symptoms before surgery had significantly worse results.