Colon Capsule Endoscopy in Patients With Colonic Diverticulitis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Colon diverticulosis (CD) is extremely common and the prevalence seems to increase globally. The prevalence of CD increases with age and two-thirds of the adult population eventually develop CD. In the US the prevalence of CD was 32.6 % in patients aged 50-59 years and 71.4% in patients > 80 years of age. CD is often detected incidentally during optical colonoscopy (OC) or by computer tomography (CT). In approximately 25 % of patients with CD symptomatic colon diverticular disease develop typically comprising bloating, abdominal pain and change in bowel habits. Progression to diverticulitis is estimated to appear in approximately 1%. Most patients present with uncomplicated diverticulitis and are managed by general practitioners (GP) with the use of painkillers and oral antibiotics. Complicated diverticulitis due to perforation can be classified according to Hinchey et al. as a guidance to surgeon as to how conservative they can be. Hinchey level 1-2 can be managed conservatively. In the case of Hinchey level 3 and 4 it requires a laparoscopy with peritoneal lavage or laparotomy with colon resection and stoma formation, respectively. In patients presenting at the GP with intractable pain or signs of sepsis admission to hospital services is mandatory. Upon hospitalization, CT is the preferred diagnostic imaging modality in patients presenting with abdominal pain and suspected diverticulitis. If colonic diverticulitis is described as the symptoms-eliciting pathology without complications comprising abscess or bowel perforation patients are typically discharged from hospital with painkillers and offered an OC within 4-6 weeks, when the inflammation has resolved, to confirm the diverticulitis diagnosis. Routine OC after an episode of diverticulitis is recommended by the majority of international guidelines including Danish guidelines on handling of patients with diverticulitis. Due to a very low risk of malignancy in patients with diverticulitis the relevance of routine OC has been questioned in a recent review. The research in Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) has evolved substantially since the introduction in 2006. More studies have reported a diagnostic yield equal to OC also in regard to larger polyps > 9 mm. In contrast to OC, CCE does not offer the possibility of biopsy or removal polyp. Hence, the ideal population for CCE needs to have low risk of findings with the need of endoscopic intervention. CCE is without pain and the risk of complications is extremely low compared to colonoscopy for which the estimated risk of major bleeding or perforation is 12 per 10,000 patients.

The investigators aimed to evaluate the effect of introducing CCE on patient satisfaction and discomfort compared to colonoscopy as a follow-up examination in patients with diverticulitis and the impact of introducing CCE on the need for subsequent colonoscopy.