POSTOPERATIVE ADHESIONS are the commonest cause of mechanical small-bowel obstruction, and the prevention of such adhesions has been the subject of considerable investigation. A complete and excellent review of such studies appeared inSurgery, Gynecology and Obstetricsin May, 1960. Surgical lysis has been reported by one author to increase adhesions, by another to decrease them. Reperitonealization is of questionable benefit, and anticoagulants are probably more dangerous than useful. Lanolin and other lubricants have received clinical trials without benefit of preliminary study, and grafts of omentum and amnion are of questionable value and cumbersome to use. Studies have shown that promotion of early postoperative peristalsis by feeding, diathermy, or neostigmine (Prostigmin) is of questionable benefit. Results of intraperitoneal administration of streptokinase and streptodornase are inconclusive. Hyaluronidase may be of some value and deserves further investigation. Steroids have been reported to be effective. As pointed out by Connolly and Smith