In the course of 10 years 72 patients with an oesophageal diverticulum were operated, incl. 56 with a Zenker diverticulum. The incidence of operative and postoperative complications declined markedly after the introduction of peroperative fibroscopy and the use of fine absorbable atraumatic fibres, in indicated cases also puncture pharyngostomy was used. The authors did not record practically any relapses of diverticula, 81.4% of the patients are after a long-term follow up free from complaints.