Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41545488›Full record

SynthesisLangenbeck's archives of surgery2026

The role of non-operative management (NOM) in perforated diverticulitis: a systematic review.

Roberto Cirocchi, Matteo Matteucci, Giulio Maria Mari, Michelangelo Campanale, Gabrio Bassotti, Justin Davies, Mauro Zago, Antonio Pesce, Bruno Cirillo, Gioia Brachini and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Langenbeck's archives of surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Roberto CirocchiDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. roberto.cirocchi@unipg.it.
Matteo MatteucciDepartment of Medicine and General Surgery, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Giulio Maria MariDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Michelangelo CampanaleDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Gabrio BassottiDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Justin DaviesCambridge Colorectal Unit, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Mauro ZagoDepartment of General Surgery, A. Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.
Antonio PesceDepartment of Surgery, AUSL of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
Bruno CirilloDepartment of Surgery, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Gioia BrachiniDepartment of Surgery, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Andrea MingoliDepartment of Surgery, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Riccardo NascimbeniDepartment of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOne of the most common and significant complication of acute diverticulitis is visceral perforation. Current clinical guidelines suggest conservative medical therapy can be adopted for selected patients with perforation, especially those with pericolic air, while its role remains less clear in cases of distant air. The aim of our study is to evaluate the role of non-operative management (NOM) in case of pericolic and distant air. MATERIALS AND

methodsThe authors conducted a comprehensive literature review; this search yielded 23 studies (17 retrospective, 5 prospective and 1 randomized control trial), including 2689 patients.

resultsConservative management of patients with air in perforated diverticulitis was safe and feasible, with a overall pooled success rate of 90.2% (95% CI: 86.4-93). Specifically, among patients with pericolic extraluminal air, the success rate of NOM was 89.9%. In contrast, the role of NOM in cases with distant free air remains uncertain, with a lower success rate of only 27.8%.

conclusionNon-operative management (NOM) appears safe and effective for patients with perforated diverticulitis and pericolic extraluminal air, provided there are no clinical signs of generalized peritonitis. In contrast, its role in cases with distant free air is highly uncertain: the pooled success rate is lower, even among hemodynamically stable patients. Based on these findings, early surgical management should be strongly considered for patients with distant free air, while NOM should only be attempted in highly selected cases under strict clinical and radiological monitoring. Conversely, NOM can be confidently recommended for patients with pericolic air who are stable and without diffuse peritonitis.

Indexed as

Conservative TreatmentDiverticulitis, ColonicIntestinal PerforationHumansTreatment OutcomeComplicated diverticulitisDistant airDiverticulitisFree airNon- operative managementPericolic air

Identifiers

PMID41545488
PMCPMC12894186

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.