Recent Advances in Colonic Emergency Surgery

Submission Deadline: 30 September 2025 (Status: Open)

 

Special Issue Editor(s)

Roberto Cirocchi    Email   |   Website
Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Interests: surgical anatomy; digestive surgery; emergency surgery; trauma

Giulio Mari    Email   |   Website
Laparoscopic and Oncological General Surgery Department, Desio Hospital, ASST Brianza, Desio, Italy
Interests: colorectal surgery; mini-invasive surgery; oncology; diverticular disease; emergency surgery

 

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Colonic emergencies can arise from various conditions, often requiring immediate medical attention. Some common causes of colonic emergencies include:
1. Bowel obstruction due to tumors, strictures, or volvulus, leading to a blockage that prevents the passage of contents.
2. Perforation from diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or trauma, causing contents to leak into the abdominal cavity and leading to peritonitis.
3. Severe infections like diverticulitis or colitis.
4. Ischemic colitis often caused by a blockage in the arteries, causing tissue death and severe pain.
5. Severe bleeding arising from diverticulosis, angiodysplasia, or colorectal cancer, leading to significant blood loss and requiring urgent intervention.
Among these etiologies, colon cancer and acute diverticulitis stand as the most common causes of colonic emergencies.
Nowadays, colon cancer remains a significant concern during emergency surgery, especially in critical situations such as bowel obstruction, perforation and bleeding. Recent advancements in endoscopic stent and laparoscopy, which enhance the efficacy of treatments in a less invasive manner, have significantly improved the management and outcomes of colonic emergencies. Robotic-assisted surgery is increasingly being explored for use in colonic emergencies, although its application is still relatively new compared to elective procedures.
Under rare circumstances, colonic diverticulitis is accompanied by various complications, including phlegmon, perforation, peritonitis, abscess, fistula, hemorrhage, and stenosis, that require surgical treatment. Historically, surgery was the preferred treatment for these complications, with laparotomy being the most typical surgical approach. However, current practice favors non-operative treatments, reserving surgery for emergencies (such as generalized peritonitis) and for patients experiencing significant deterioration of quality of life (like those with colonic stenosis or fistulas involving the bladder).
The current surgical approaches have evolved from traditional laparotomy to minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic and robotic surgery. This trend is also evident in emergency surgery, where laparoscopic access is becoming increasingly common. Abscesses are often treated with percutaneous drainage, and damage control surgery has emerged as a new strategy for the most severe cases.
This special issue of Annali Italiani di Chirurgia is dedicated to innovations in the abdominal emergency treatment of colonic diseases.

Prof. Roberto Cirocchi and Dr. Giulio Mari
Guest Editors

 

Keywords

diverticular disease; ischemic colitis; colon cancer; minimally invasive surgery; robotic surgery; damage control surgery; intraabdominal infections; abdominal abscess; antibiotic treatment

 

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts for special issues should be submitted to Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría before the deadline. Research articles, systematic review articles, review articles, case reports, as well as letters are invited. Submissions must align with the journal's aims and scope, and also fit the specific research theme of the special issue. All special issue manuscripts will undergo the same peer review process as regular submissions. The Editor-in-Chief oversees all journal content. If the manuscript is authored by the editor themselves, the editorial team, or family members of the research group, the editor will never be involved in this process; or even if there is a close professional relationship between the author and parties involved in the editorial process. If the editorial team finds a manuscript or an entire special issue does not meet quality standards, it may be rejected. Any disputes arising during the editorial process will be resolved by the Editor-in-Chief. For more information, please refer to the Author Guidelines and Special Issues Guidelines.