 Diverticulosis and diverticular disease present a high prevalence rate in the world population, especially in the Western world. Diverticulosis of the colon is an extremely common condition in industrialized countries and its prevalence rate increases with age, and exceeds 60 in patients aged over eighty. Although the course of diverticulosis is normally free of symptoms and complications, about 15 of patients develop symptoms often undistinguishable from those of the irritable bowel syndrome, such as abdominal pain, bowel disorders and bloating. About 5 of patients with diverticular disease develop an episode of uncomplicated acute diverticulitis with abdominal symptoms accompanied in some cases by systemic symptoms, such as fever or malaise and laboratory evidence of activation of the inflammatory process. In a minority of these cases, the patient suffers major complications such as the development of abscesses, fistulae, haemorrhage or stenosis 1. 