TIMING OPERATIVE INTERVENTION FOR ACUTE INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION

The rather voluminous literature on intestinal obstruction has in recent years undergone a great change. Only a few years ago, Fred T. Murphy said in Ochsner's "Surgical Diagnosis and Treatment:"¹ "For a mechanical obstruction of the bowel, there is no other logical treatment than operation for the relief of the obstruction." The recent literature, however, has shown what a great mistake this was and attests the splendid results obtained by the use of peroral suction of the upper portion of the intestinal tract. The teachings of Wangensteen,² Johnston³ and many others are now so well established and have been confirmed in so many clinics that one must accept them; they require no further proof. Nevertheless, in almost every article dealing with the "conservative" treatment of intestinal obstructions one finds the statement that this is not to be used as a complete substitute for the operative treatment. Wangensteen