X-ray examination of intestinat anastomoses in the early postoperative period after operation on the colon

Basing on an analysis of the X-ray data on 63 patients in the early period after operation on the colon the authors formulated indications to examination and described methods for it in detail. Most of the studies were performed in the first 2 weeks after operation, more than half of them from the 3rd to the 7th day. The analysis of the X-ray picture in 33 patients with anastomotic incompenence made it possible to classify the X-ray signs that describe this complication. It was established that emergency X-ray examination in the early period after operations on the colon has high diagnostic potentialities in the recognition of insufficiency of intenstinal anastomoses and is safe when accurate methods are strictly adhered to. This type of examination is expected to be widely used in clinical practice and performed in suspected anastomotic incompetence beginning from the 4-5th day following operation. The optimum period is the 6-8th day