Robotic Diverticulitis Surgery and Treatment Minimally Invasive Precision & Accuracy by Dr. Bhatt
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and Fellowship Training in advanced colon and rectal surgery, specializing in diverticulitis surgery. With over 15 years of medical experience and more than 2,000 successful surgeries, Dr. Bhatt personally guides each patient through their diagnostic review and recovery, providing personalized diverticulitis treatment and diverticulitis surgery throughout Broward County, and South Florida.
Dr. Bhatt provides:
Diverticulitis Symptoms - Book Appointment
Tell us briefly about your symptoms or prior diverticulitis episodes. Same week appointment available.
PERSONALIZED DIVERTICULITIS CARE
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, Diverticulitis Specialist, personally evaluates each patient’s symptoms, CT findings, treatment history, overall health, and quality of life before recommending diverticulitis treatment. Dr. Bhatt follows evidence-based care and standards from the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS) when determining whether continued medical treatment, image-guided drainage, or diverticulitis surgery may be appropriate.
During the evaluation, Dr. Bhatt reviews:
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Symptoms and daily impact: The frequency and severity of flare-ups, persistent Diverticulitis symptoms between episodes, and effects on bowel function, nutrition, work, travel, and daily activities
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Imaging and complications: CT findings showing inflammation, abscess, fistula, stricture, bowel obstruction, or perforation
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Response to previous Diverticulitis treatment: Improvement after antibiotics or image-guided abscess drainage, along with prior emergency-room visits and hospitalizations
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Surgical considerations: Overall health, medical conditions, previous abdominal operations, and individual surgical risk
She clearly explains the benefits, risks, alternatives, expected recovery, and individualized recovery plan so each patient can make an informed treatment decision and safely return to daily activities.
Book Appointment Now
Tell us briefly about your symptoms or prior diverticulitis episodes. Same week appointment available.
If surgery is indicated, Dr. Astha Bhatt offers cutting-edge, minimally invasive techniques designed to reduce pain, minimize scarring, and expedite recovery times. Trained in advanced da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery by Intuitive Surgical and Dr. Bhatt utilize precise, advanced surgical methodologies designed to prioritize your safety and promote a faster, more comfortable recovery. Dr. Bhatt is highly specialized in complex pelvic procedures, including:
A highly precise procedure to remove the diseased segment of the sigmoid colon using the da Vinci robotic platform. This approach protects adjacent nerves and blood vessels, serving as an effective treatment for recurrent or complicated diverticulitis.
Best for: Patients with chronic, recurrent, or stable complicated diverticulitis who qualify for a minimally invasive approach.
This technique involves removing the diseased colon segment and immediately reconnecting the remaining healthy ends. When medically safe, this eliminates the need for a temporary stoma or ostomy bag.
Best for: Stable patients with localized inflammation and healthy tissue quality that allow for a safe, direct reconnection.
A life-saving procedure reserved for surgical emergencies involving active perforation or severe infection. The diseased colon is removed, the rectal stump is closed, and the bowel is temporarily diverted to allow safe abdominal healing.
Best for: Emergency or complicated diverticulitis when acute infection or tissue damage makes immediate bowel reconnection unsafe.
Dr. Bhatt utilizes high-definition 3D visualization and wristed robotic instrumentation to operate within the pelvis with exceptional precision. For patients, this minimally invasive approach typically translates to significantly smaller incisions, reduced post-operative discomfort, shorter hospital stays, and a safer, faster return to daily activities.
When seeking advanced diverticulitis treatment, patient–verified outcomes and credentials are the strongest indicators of safety. Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, combines her board–certified surgical precision with a compassionate, patient–first approach. Backed by over 450 five–star patient ratings across leading healthcare networks—including Google, Healthgrades, WebMD, and U.S. News—Dr. Bhatt is recognized as a premier choice for diverticulitis surgery in Broward County.
Dr. Astha Bhatt is an amazing colorectal surgeon who provides excellent care for hemorrhoids and diverticulitis. She explains every treatment option clearly, whether it’s office-based procedures like rubber band ligation or surgical options when needed.
— Roxana
Dr. Bhatt is a great physician and expert diverticulitis surgeon. Her training, knowledge and skills are first class. But I believe what sets her apart is her empathy and conversation skills. She listens to you so that you feel you’ve been heard. One of the top expert in diverticulitis . Highly recommend and god bless her
— Usuario
I had the privilege of being treated by Dr. Astha Bhatt for Diverticulitis, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. From the very first consultation, Dr. Bhatt demonstrated an unparalleled level of expertise and compassion. She took the time to explain my condition thoroughly, including what Diverticulitis entails, the treatment options, and the lifestyle changes that could aid in my recovery.
— Buddy
DIVERTICULITIS PATIENT GUIDE
Watch Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD Diverticulitis Specialist explain how diverticulitis is evaluated, why treatment differs for each patient, and which clinical findings may lead to a surgical consultation.
Patient education video: understanding diverticulitis, CT findings, treatment pathways, and sigmoid colectomy
In this educational video guide, Dr. Bhatt shares clinical insights from over 15 years of surgical experience, helping you understand the transition from conservative lifestyle modifications to state-of-the-art robotic surgery.
Whether you are managing recurrent attacks, recovering from a recent hospitalization, or exploring robotic surgery options, Dr. Bhatt is here to help. Schedule a clinical consultation at our office to review your records, discuss your imaging scans, and design a personalized treatment plan.
Physician-Led Diverticulitis Care
Personalized evaluation, treatment, surgery, and follow-up.
When choosing a specialist for diverticulitis treatment, hands-on clinical experience and patient outcomes are critical. Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, is recognized throughout South Florida for her high-volume surgical expertise and patient-first approach.
To support your recovery, Dr. Bhatt collaborates with gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists, and primary care doctors, ensuring your diverticulitis treatment plan is seamless, safe, and highly personalized.
Board-Certified Surgeon
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Board-Certified General Surgeon.
Fellowship-Trained in Advanced Colon & Rectal Surgery
Dr. Bhatt has completed an accredited fellowship in advanced colon and rectal via The Fellowship Council, at AdventHealth Hospital that super focused on advanced robotic sigmoid colectomy, rectal procedures, and complex diverticulitis management.
Physician-Led Diverticulitis Care
From your initial diagnostic review through surgical execution and recovery, Dr. Bhatt personally coordinates every step of your care.
Thorough diagnostic review of your active symptoms, pelvic CT scans, colonoscopy findings, and history of flare-ups.
Advanced robotic (da Vinci) or laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy tailored to minimize recovery time and pain.
Evidence based, Individualized treatment guidance comparing non-surgical management (antibiotics, diet) versus elective surgery.
Transparent counseling regarding bowel reconnection (primary anastomosis), recovery milestones, and ostomy prevention.
Convenient physician-led consultations by Dr. Bhatt for patients from Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Wilton Manors, and Oakland Park.
Patients from Pompano Beach, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Sea Ranch Lakes, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, and Coconut Creek may request review after recurrent or persistent episodes.
Focused evaluation is available for patients from Coral Springs, Parkland, Margate, Tamarac, and North Lauderdale with a complicated or unresolved course.
Accessible consultations for patients from Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Cooper City, and Pembroke Pines to discuss surgical timing, approach, and care coordination.
Dr. Bhatt evaluates patients traveling from Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and surrounding communities.
Independent surgical opinions by Dr. Bhatt are available for patients from Hollywood, Dania Beach, Miramar, and Sunny Isles Beach before choosing the next step.
Whether you require targeted diverticulitis treatment in Pompano Beach or long-term diverticulitis management in Fort Lauderdale, our office provides personalized, evidence-based care plans. We proudly serve patients across all of Broward County and South Florida.
After treatment for an acute episode, you may still have questions about persistent symptoms, the accuracy of the diagnosis, the possibility of another flare-up, or the safest long-term approach. Dr. Astha Bhatt provides a focused surgical review to identify unresolved concerns and explain reasonable next steps based on your health, treatment history, and personal priorities.
EMERGENCY WARNING: Go to the nearest ER for severe abdominal pain, high fever, vomiting, or an inability to pass stool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, answers common questions about diverticulitis treatment, complications, sigmoid colectomy, and recovery. This information reflects ASCRS Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment and peer-reviewed research available through the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Diverticulitis occurs when one or more diverticula—small pockets that can develop in the wall of the colon—become inflamed. The presence of these pockets alone is called diverticulosis, and many people have them without experiencing any problems.
When inflammation develops, a person may experience new abdominal pain, often on the lower left side, along with fever, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. Some episodes remain mild and uncomplicated, while others can lead to an abscess, narrowing of the colon, a fistula, or a perforation.
Not everyone with diverticulosis will develop diverticulitis. Because abdominal pain can have many possible causes, new, persistent, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional rather than assumed to be another diverticulitis attack.
Elective diverticulitis surgery is scheduled after the immediate infection and inflammation have settled. Because the operation is planned, there is time to review prior CT scans, improve control of other medical conditions, and discuss the expected procedure before surgery. In many patients, the diseased section of the colon can be removed and the healthy ends reconnected during the same operation.
Emergency diverticulitis surgery is performed when waiting could be dangerous, such as when a perforation has caused widespread abdominal infection or the patient is becoming seriously ill despite treatment. In this situation, the first priority is to control the infection and protect the patient’s life.
Whether the bowel can be reconnected safely during an emergency depends on the patient’s condition, the severity of contamination, and the quality of the remaining bowel. Some patients can have an immediate reconnection, while others may need a temporary colostomy or ileostomy. The safest option is determined by the surgeon based on the findings during the operation.
Yes. Most people with uncomplicated diverticulitis recover without an operation. Non-surgical treatment is not the same for every patient; it depends on the severity of the episode, overall health, immune status, and how well symptoms improve.
For a mild episode in an otherwise healthy person, treatment may include a temporary adjustment in diet, adequate fluids, symptom relief, and close medical follow-up. Antibiotics are not required for every patient with mild, uncomplicated diverticulitis. They are more likely to be recommended when the immune system is suppressed, significant medical conditions are present, symptoms are more severe, or there are signs of a complication.
For Dr. Bhatt the goal is to treat the current episode safely while avoiding surgery that is not medically necessary. If symptoms fail to improve, repeatedly return, or a complication develops, the treatment plan should be reassessed by a physician experienced in diverticular disease.
Consider seeing a diverticulitis surgeon after an abscess, repeated hospital visits, ongoing symptoms between attacks, or complications such as narrowing, blockage, or a fistula.
A surgical consultation may also help when recurring episodes interfere with work, travel, eating, or daily life. Current colorectal guidelines do not recommend surgery based only on the number of attacks. The decision should consider disease severity, overall health, quality of life, and patient preference.
Meeting with a surgeon does not mean surgery is required. The goal is to compare continued medical care with elective diverticulitis surgery and choose the safest long-term plan.
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and Colorectal Surgeon with Fellowship Training in Minimally Invasive Surgery focused on Robotic Colon and Rectal Surgery. She evaluates patients throughout Broward County and nearby South Florida communities.
Diverticulitis surgery may be recommended when the condition causes a fistula, narrowing or blockage of the colon, a difficult-to-treat abscess, persistent symptoms, or repeated hospitalizations.
For recurring uncomplicated diverticulitis, surgery is not based on a fixed number of attacks. Dr. Bhatt considers the severity and frequency of flare-ups, CT findings, previous treatment, overall health, surgical risk, and the effect of symptoms on daily life before recommending an elective sigmoid colectomy.
Emergency surgery may be necessary for a perforation, widespread abdominal infection, sepsis, or diverticulitis that continues to worsen despite appropriate treatment. Each recommendation is personalized to provide the safest and most effective diverticulitis care.
The best treatment depends on how often diverticulitis returns, how severe the episodes are, and how they affect your health and daily life. Some patients do well with follow-up care, healthy lifestyle changes, and treatment during flare-ups. Others may benefit from elective sigmoid colectomy when symptoms persist, attacks require hospital care, or the condition significantly limits daily activities.
Surgery is not recommended solely because of a specific number of attacks. Dr. Bhatt reviews your imaging, treatment history, overall health, surgical risks, evidence based, and personal goals to determine whether continued medical care or diverticulitis surgery is the better long-term option.
Additional patient resource: MedlinePlus: Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
Complicated diverticulitis occurs when inflammation causes a problem beyond a localized colon infection, such as an abscess, perforation, fistula, narrowing, or bowel obstruction.
The term “complicated” does not always mean emergency surgery is necessary. Treatment depends on the specific complication and the patient’s condition. Some cases can be managed with medication or image-guided drainage, while others require planned or urgent surgery to control the infection or correct the problem.
Yes. Many diverticular abscesses can initially be treated without removing part of the colon. A small, contained abscess may improve with antibiotics. A larger abscess, or one that is not improving, may require image-guided drainage through a small catheter placed by an interventional radiologist.
Surgery may be necessary if the infection cannot be controlled, drainage is not possible, or the patient’s condition worsens. After the abscess heals, Dr. Bhatt reviews its size and location, whether drainage was required, previous episodes, and the patient’s overall health to determine whether observation or a planned sigmoid colectomy is the safer long-term option.
A sigmoid colectomy is surgery to remove the part of the large intestine most commonly affected by recurrent or complicated diverticulitis. The diseased sigmoid colon is removed, and the healthy colon is usually connected to the upper rectum.Dr. Astha Bhatt offers precision robotic-assisted and laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy when medically appropriate.
This can help reduce the risk of future attacks arising from the affected segment, relieve symptoms caused by narrowing or chronic inflammation, and treat complications such as a fistula or obstruction. The surgeon does not need to remove every diverticulum in the colon. The amount of bowel removed depends on the location of the disease, scar tissue, and the condition of the remaining colon.
Yes. Dr. Astha Bhatt offers robotic-assisted sigmoid colectomy for selected patients with recurrent or complicated diverticulitis. Her fellowship training in minimally invasive surgery focused on robotic colon and rectal surgery supports precise dissection and careful removal of the diseased sigmoid colon.
For appropriate patients, the robotic approach uses small incisions and may result in less postoperative discomfort, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster return to normal activities than open surgery. Dr. Bhatt selects the safest approach based on the severity of inflammation, scar tissue, anatomy, prior surgery, and findings during the operation.
Most planned diverticulitis surgeries are performed with the goal of removing the diseased colon and reconnecting the healthy bowel without an ostomy. However, this cannot be guaranteed before surgery.
A temporary colostomy or ileostomy may be needed when severe infection, perforation, poor tissue quality, or other findings make immediate reconnection unsafe. Dr. Bhatt evaluates these risks before surgery and explains the circumstances that could require an ostomy. The final decision is based on the patient’s condition and what is found during the operation.
Bring your CT images and reports, hospital or emergency-room records, colonoscopy results, and notes from any abscess drainage or prior abdominal surgery. A current medication list and a brief timeline of your diverticulitis attacks are also helpful.
Whenever possible, send these records before your appointment. Dr. Bhatt personally reviews them to understand how the disease has progressed and determine whether further testing, continued medical care, or diverticulitis surgery should be considered.
Recovery varies based on the surgical approach, overall health, and whether the operation was planned or performed as an emergency. After robotic or laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy, many patients leave the hospital within a few days and gradually return to normal activities over several weeks.
Recovery may take longer after open or emergency surgery, severe infection, or an operation involving an ostomy. Dr. Bhatt provides personalized instructions for diet, activity, incision care, and return to work based on each patient’s progress.
Look for advanced colorectal training, experience treating recurrent and complicated diverticulitis, hospital access, and expertise in robotic, laparoscopic, and open surgery. Patient reviews can also provide insight into a surgeon’s communication, bedside manner, and follow-up care.
Dr. Astha Bhatt, MD, is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and Fellowship Training in Minimally Invasive Surgery focused on Robotic Colon and Rectal Surgery. As a Colorectal Surgeon, Dr. Bhatt has earned more than 400 combined patient ratings and reviews across Google, Healthgrades, WebMD, and U.S. News physician profiles. Patients frequently recognize her clear communication, compassionate care, professionalism, and attentive follow-up.
Patients seeking a diverticulitis surgeon in Broward County or South Florida may call (954) 388-0860 or request an appointment online.
Still Have Questions About Diverticulitis Surgery? Call (954) 388-0860
Our team can help identify the CT reports, images, hospital records, and explain the symptoms with evidence based medical care for Diverticulitis Disease.
Dr. Bhatt coordinates care when appropriate, with gastroenterologists (GI), primary care physicians (PCP), interventional radiologists, and hospital teams to support an individualized Diverticulitis treatment plan.
Same-week Diverticulitis appointments are available after a recent emergency room visit, hospitalization, return of symptoms, or a time-sensitive surgical recommendation.
Patients who have been advised to consider sigmoid colectomy may schedule a second opinion to review imaging, treatment history, surgical options, recovery expectations, and the possibility of an ostomy.
Major commercial insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and self-pay options may be accepted. Our team can help review your insurance information and determine whether a referral or prior authorization may be required before your consultation. Call (954) 388-0860.
