[Our experience of the Vest-Margulis test in the differential diagnosis of mechanical and paralytic ileus (author's transl)].

In order to evaluate the Vest-Margulis test in the differential diagnosis between mechanical and paralytic ileus a retrospective study was undertaken on 51 such tests performed before and after operation. Transit of gastrografin (Sodium amidotrizoate) through the caecum 4 hours after ingestion was controlled through roentgenograms. The diagnostic value of a positive test in pure paralytic ileus can be confirmed. Indeed 23 positive cases proved to have paralytic rather than mechanical ileus. On the contrary a negative test has no diagnostic value. Twenty-eight patients in which the contrast medium had not reached the caecum within 4 hours had either form of intestinal obstruction. The attention is drawn on the interesting therapeutic action of gastrografin in patients with a paralytic ileus and the simplicity of the investigation.