Massive colonic bleeding from diverticular disease

Abstract

In a series of twelve patients with massive colonic bleeding requiring life-saving emergency surgery, total abdominal colectomy was performed in six with no deaths. When less than total abdominal colectomy was carried out, it was necessary to perform additional resections in half the cases. One death in this group resulted from multiple resections for continued bleeding. Total abdominal colectomy is advocated as the procedure of choice for massive colonic bleeding from diverticular disease when emergency operation is required.