The authors analyse their personal experience of diverticular disease of the colon and, comparing it with that of other authors, draw attention to some fundamental data relating to the type of management chosen. Having underlined the high incidence of disease in relation changed living conditions, the authors point out that this pathology is becoming more frequent as a result of the increased average age and that subacute and acute clinical manifestations of the disease are also more common-place. Attention has often been drawn to the presence of non-evolved phlogistic symptoms which it is possible to treat medically thus enabling the operation to be postponed in some cases to a time which is more convenient for the patient, whereas in other cases it has resulted in the remission of symptoms. Surgical therapy need not be used in "silent" cases, but is obligatory in recurring or complicated forms. The authors also affirm that surgery is not burdened by particular postoperative complications which, if present, are linked essentially to peritonitis due to perforation or to other associated pathologies. The use of mechanical staplers has also restricted the number of derivative operations and those performed in several stages.