Endoscopic Irrigation Therapy for Colonic Diverticulitis

Background Colonic diverticulitis is a common gastrointestinal disease. The treatment of diverticulitis, including antibiotics, percutaneous drainage, and surgical treatment, varies depending on whether it is complicated or uncomplicated diverticulitis. There are currently limited reports on endoscopic treatment for diverticulitis, and the application of endoscopic irrigation therapy for colonic diverticulitis (EICD) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic irrigation therapy for colonic diverticulitis and propose endoscopic treatment strategies based on different stages of modified Hinchey classification. Methods Ten patients with colonic diverticulitis, confirmed by computed tomography, from January 2022 to June 2025, were enrolled in this study. All patients received endoscopic irrigation therapy. Results Among the 10 patients, five patients were classified as Hinchey Ib and five patients were Hinchey Ia. All patients experienced significant relief of abdominal pain after EICD. No complications including perforation or sepsis were observed in any patient. The average length of hospital stay after EICD was 3.4 days. With an average 16.60 ± 9.34 months follow‐up, only one patient (10%) experienced recurrent abdominal pain and underwent endoscopic irrigation therapy again. The remaining nine patients (90%) showed no recurrence as of the last follow‐up. Conclusions Endoscopic irrigation therapy plays a certain role in patients with Hinchey Ia and Ib diverticulitis, effectively, rapidly and safely alleviating symptoms without significant complications.