THIS STUDY was undertaken to assess the relative effectiveness of different operative therapies among patients symptomatic from diverticular disease of the colon. A reduction in the rates of operative complications and mortality would be achieved by refining the criteria for selecting patients who can undergo primary colonic resection with a risk equal to or less than those treated by multiple operations. Obviously, the risk of different operations cannot be evaluated unless pathological uniformity of the disease process in the therapeutic groups is maintained. The object of this study is to establish principles of therapy in accordance with the various regional pathological conditions of the colon when diverticular disease exists. Material and Methods A total of 170 patients were operated upon for diverticular disease of the colon in Barnes Hospital between January 1956 and January 1966. Recurrent or persistent diverticulitis existed in 88 patients. The remainder were treated for regional complications