Scandinavian Diverticulitis Trial
Scandinavian Diverticulitis Trial
The purpose of this study is to determine whether laparoscopic lavage changes the rate of
 severe complications in patients with acute perforated diverticulitis who traditionally are
 treated with primary resection.
Acute diverticulitis is a common disease in the western world. Perforation of the acute
 diverticulitis with peritonitis is a feared complication and standard treatment (primary
 sigmoid resection such as Hartmann's procedure) still has unsatisfactory results. Both
 mortality and morbidity are quite high. Several uncontrolled trials have reported a lower
 mortality and morbidity when acute perforated diverticulitis is treated with laparoscopic
 lavage instead of radical surgery. The investigators wish to conduct a randomized multicenter
 trial in Scandinavia in order to compare the rates of severe postoperative complications in
 acute perforated diverticulitis if treated by traditional primary sigmoid resection or by
 laparoscopic lavage. The investigators are planning to include all patients admitted to the
 participating hospitals with clinical and radiological findings of acute perforated
 diverticulitis.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  age over 18

 -  clinical suspicion of perforated diverticulitis with indication for urgent surgery

 -  CT scan with free air and findings suggesting diverticulitis

 -  patient tolerates general anaesthesia

 -  patients written consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  pregnancy

 -  bowel obstruction