SHORT COMMUNICATION Severity of diverticulitis in patients with polycystic kidney disease without transplantation Maile E. Parker 1 & Kellie L. Mathis 2 & Scott R. Kelley 2 Accepted: 26 September 2017 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2017 Abstract Background Patients with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) who have had a kidney transplant have an increased risk of diverticular disease and complicated diverticulitis. Literature is limited regarding the severity of diverticulitis in patients with PKD who have not had a transplant. We aim to assess whether patients with PKD, with and without renal transplant, have a similar course of diverticulitis. Methods A retrospective review of all adult PKD patients at our institution diagnosed with diverticulitis between 2000 and 2016 was conducted. Patients without documented PKD and diverticulitis were excluded. We compared PKD patients with and without renal transplantation. Results A total of 41 patients were identified. Mean age was 60 (± 12), and 56% were female. Fourteen patients had undergone renal transplantation. Five (19%) non- transplant patients had complicated diverticulitis, com- pared to 43% (n = 6) transplanted (p = 0.33). Fifteen (56%) non-transplant and 8 (57%) transplant patients had recurrent diverticulitis (p = 1.00). Three (11%) non- transplant and 5 (36%) transplanted patients had recurrent complicated diverticulitis. Eight (30%) non-transplant and 7 (50%) transplant patients underwent surgery (p = 0.31). All 8 non-transplant patients underwent sigmoid resection with primary anastomosis without diversion. In the trans- plant group, 3 Hartmann procedures and 1 sigmoid resec- tion with and 3 without diversion were performed. There was one in-hospital death in each group. Conclusion In our group of patients, there was no difference in rate of recurrent diverticulitis, diverticulitis complications, or operative intervention in patients with PKD with and with- out renal transplant. The renal transplant group had a higher rate of recurrent, complicated diverticulitis. Keywords Polycystic kidney disease . Renal transplant . Diverticulitis . Complicated diverticulitis Introduction Literature regarding the association between polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and diverticular disease of the co- lon is sparse. The incidence of colonic diverticular disease is increased in PKD patients compared to the general population [1–5]. It has been theorized that underlying alterations in connective tissue put PKD patients at higher risk for formation of diverticula. Patients with end-stage renal failure secondary to PKD, and those with PKD who have undergone kidney transplant, have an increased in- cidence of diverticulitis, and worse outcomes, compared to the general population and patients with renal failure from other causes [6, 7]. Studies have been limited by low numbers, and have primarily focused on patients who are status post renal transplant. It is unclear whether patients with PKD and functioning native kidneys have an in- creased risk of complicated diverticulitis. We aim to as- sess whether patients with PKD who have not had a renal transplant have a similar course of diverticulitis in com- parison to those who have had a transplant for PKD. * Scott R. Kelley kelley.scott@mayo.edu 1 Mayo Clinic Rochester, Department of Surgery, Rochester, MN, USA 2 Mayo Clinic Rochester, Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Rochester, MN, USA Int J Colorectal Dis DOI 10.1007/s00384-017-2911-8