Today adhesive disease of the abdominal cavity is the disease characterized by a high risk of postoperative complications, a significant level of disability and a decrease in the quality of patient’s life. The article presents an analysis of the modern understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of abdominal adhesive disease, of the results of preventing and managing this disease and its complications. The adhesive disease is an urgent medical and social problem. Despite the seeming simplicity of understanding the causes of its occurrence, the obviousness of the methods of its treatment and prevention, it remains a pathology studied insufficiently and primarily associated with the outdated fundamental ideas about the causes of the adhesive process. The need to revise the theories of the pathogenesis of the disease becomes obvious despite the traditionally established concepts of this problem.