Experience in surgical treatment of 632 patients for incarcerated hern
ias of different localization is analysed. The patients' ages ranged f
rom 39 to 91., 448 (70.9%) patients were over 60 years of age. Inguina
l and umbilical hernias were encountered most frequently 62.5%. The in
testine was resected in 93 patients 80 of them were over 60 years of a
ge (86%) Among these patients 63 were admitted to the clinic 1 to 4 da
ys after the incarceration had occurred. The causes of late hospitaliz
ation: through the patient's fault in 80 (24.8%) cases, due to the doc
tor's errors in the prehospital stage in 39 (12.1%) cases. Kerte's met
hod for determining the viability of the incarcerated intestine is sub
jective to a certain measured - the surgeons made errors in 14% of cas
es (confirmed histologically). The mortality was 13.4%, in 85% death o
ccurred at an age over 70 and in 74% of cases the patients were admitt
ed 24 hours to 4 days after the incarceration. Incompetence of the sut
ures of the anastomosis (41%) was the main cause of death. Late hospit
alization, elderly and old age, severe concomitant complications, and
unwarrantably extended volume of the interventions were the main cause
s of unfavorable outcomes of the management of this category of patien
ts.