A survey of disruption of abdominal wounds was made at a veterans hospital during the period 1953-1958. Among 8,277 major operations there were 3,988 procedures which might lead to wound separation. Appendectomies performed through a right lower quadrant musclesplitting incision were not included, as disruption with this incision did not occur during this period. Abdominalwound separation occurred in 109 instances. Ninety-three patients were over 50 years of age. The average postoperative day on which disruption occurred was the ninth. Eighty-seven disruptions followed operation for benign disease. Fifty-eight followed upper gastrointestinal tract surgery. The type of closure or suture material appeared not to affect development of disruption. Abnormal distention and coughing were major contributing factors. Twenty-four of 84 known survivors subsequently developed a ventral hernia.