Splinting in the treatment of small intestinal obstruction caused by adhesions

: The article discusses the results of small intestine splinting in various modifications with the use of a standard and specially designed silicon catheter. In the period between 1985 and 1990 operations were performed on 28 patients whose ages ranged from 16 to 81 years; all of them were operated on in a state of acute obstruction of the small intestine by adhesions, no fatal outcomes occurred. Various combinations of interventions were accomplished in 5 cases. The splinting catheter had to be removed prematurely in 2 cases because of stoma suppuration; one patient was operated on again 12 months after splinting, a doubtful result was noted in another 3 cases. In the early period the splinting catheter ensures adequate decompression of the intestine and effective prevention of postoperative paresis. The method for fixation of the standard splinting catheter is chosen individually depending on the concrete intraoperative situation. A special catheter with an inflatable cuff can be used which allows splinting of the small intestine without opening its lumen.