Monitoring
Patients treated as outpatients should be reviewed within 7 days from the time of diagnosis, or sooner if there is any clinical deterioration.[7]
The American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends referring patients for colonoscopy following an episode of complicated left-sided colonic diverticulitis if these patients have not had a recent colonoscopy. This is to exclude colorectal cancer or advanced colonic neoplasia if there is diagnostic uncertainty.[59][65] The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) recommends colonoscopy after an episode of complicated diverticulitis. The AGA states that colonoscopy can be deferred if a recent (within 1 year) high-quality colonoscopy has been performed.[43] Although there is no established causal association between diverticulitis and colorectal neoplasia, screening colonoscopy for colorectal cancer should be considered in patients older than 50 years at normal risk of colorectal cancer, and at an earlier age in those at high risk.[65][77][105][106]
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