[Treatment of septic complications in diverticular disease of the colon]. / Trattamento delle complicanze settiche della malattia diverticolare del colon.

Eight years' experience in the treatment of the septic complications of diverticular disease of the colon is examined and 44 cases treated in the period 1980-1988 are considered. The Hartman procedure gave good results in the majority of cases; other procedures such as drainage with colostomy, or anastomosis resection during a single intervention are reserved for particular cases. In addition, on examining the case histories and the current literature it seems that it is correct to treat DD (diverticular disease) surgically whenever the typical manifestations of the overt disease appear; waiting often represents nothing more than a postponement of the surgical treatment until an emergency arises.