Objective:

Analyze the safety and efficacy of the outpatient treatment of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis and a costs analysis.

Method:

We conducted a prospective, non-randomized study between June 2014 and June 2017. We included all patients diagnosed of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis based on clinical and abdominal computed tomography scan in the Emergency Department of the University Hospital San Juan de Alicante (Spain). Outpatient treatment consisted of oral antibiotics for 7 days (amoxicillin-clavulanate or ciprofloxacin and metronidazole in patients with betalactamic allergy), liquid diet for 72 h and analgesics. Costs were evaluated according to the Law of Rates of Valencian Community.

Results:

Ninety patients were included, 49 females and 41 males with a median age of 56 years. Success rate was 95.5% (n = 86) requiring hospital admission 4 patients (4.5%). Antibiotic treatment was amoxicillin-clavulanate in 82 patients (91.1%) and ciprofloxacin and metronidazole in 8 (8.9%). Cost savings per patient was approximately 1985 € comparing with hypothetically all inpatient treatment.

Conclusions:

Outpatient treatment of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis can be performed successfully in most patients allowing an important cost savings.

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