People with diverticulitis are usually hospitalized and treated with intravenous antibiotics to get rid of the infection. Surgery may be come necessary fo people with divertiulitis who do not respond appropriately to the antibiotics. This is about 20% of patients.

When medication fails to clear up the infected area, is the only option. In these cases, the doctor will remove the affected area of the colon and the remaining sections of the colon are joined together.