The aim of surgery for acute diverticulitis is the removal of the inflammatory focus, i.e. resection of the diseased bowel segment. With the aid of modern surgical technique, intensive care medicine, and interventional radiology surgery for acute diverticulitis is increasingly performed under elective conditions. This has led to a decrease in two- or three-staged resections in favor of primary resection and anastomosis even in advanced stages of diverticulitis.