[Guidelines in surgery: from the viewpoint of quality assurance].

The German Society for Surgery takes the AWMF's instructions to create effective guidelines very seriously. International criteria for guidelines are fully accepted, for example, the guidelines for thrombosis prophylaxis. The guide plays a very important part in overall quality management, but it cannot replace further precautions like risk management, second opinions, or external quality control. Despite forensic problems, patients are definitely entitled to diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines.