For decades the only real option for perforated diverticular disease was a Hartmann's procedure, but there has been a lot of interest in the less invasive and stoma saving laparoscopic lavage and drainage procedure as an alternative. But is it effective? In this podcast linked to a meta analysis by Cirocchi et al in Techniques in Coloproctology (2017) 21: 93 (http://bit.ly/2peBO1J) Jon Lund talks to David Humes about the background and the evidence for and against peritoneal lavage as a treatment for this common colorectal emergency. David Humes is Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Nottingham, UK and an NIHR Postdoctoral Fellow.