[Tactics in the treatment of postoperative intestinal fistula]

The experience with treatment of 331 patient with external intestinal fistulas is summarized. It is necessary to remove the high non-shaped "emaciating" fistulas at day 1-2 after their development. A rational method for the treatment of other non-shaped intestinal fistulas is their open management with active aspiration, or flowing drainage. Conservative therapy of the shaped tubular fistulas is effective only within first 4 mos, and later, the operative treatment is indicated to the patients.