TY - JOUR T1 - ROle of the transverse abdominal incision and early ambulation in the reduction of postoperative complications AU - THOMPSON JB, MacLEAN KF, COLLER FA Y1 - 1949/12/01 N1 - 10.1001/archsurg.1949.01240041281007 JO - Archives of Surgery SP - 1267 EP - 1277 VL - 59 IS - 6 N2 - THE PROBLEM of how best to approach the peritoneal cavity with a minimum of postoperative complications has challenged the attention and acumen of surgeons for many years. One may consult the references given in this paper for a review of the work of the many who have contributed to this problem of the proper abdominal incision1 and the concepts of early ambulation.2The purpose of this paper is to review briefly the fundamental anatomic and physiologic principles and to tabulate the clinical results which have led us to use routinely the transverse abdominal incision as well as to emphasize early ambulation increasingly.Langer's lines of skin cleavage are situated transversely; hence, an incision which parallels them will close with less tension and leave a finer scar when it heals.The oblique muscles originate laterally and, becoming aponeurotic, pass in an essentially transverse direction to insert into the linea SN - 0272-5533 M3 - doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1949.01240041281007 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.1949.01240041281007 ER -