[Consultation hours for special surgery in a surgical department of a district infirmary ("kreiskrankenhaus") (author's transl)].

At the Surgical Department of the Kreiskrankenhaus of Burg five consultation hours for special surgery have been established and have been working for 2 to 3 years: 1. consultation hours for surgical angiology, especially varicosis and proctology, 2. consultation hours for goitre, 3. consultation hours for traumatology, especially follow up control of patients after operative fracture treatment, 4. consultation hours for pediatric surgery, 5. consultation hours for surgical gastroenterology, especially follow up control of patients after partial and total gastrectomy, vagotomy, and complications after biliary surgery. The experiences gained from these consultation hours are discussed. With regard to the personal and organizational problems in district infirmaries many difficulties have to be overcome in establishing consultation hours for special surgery. However, these consultation hours offer the possibility to improve the surgical care in the rural population and to hold international standards in general surgery practice even in smaller surgical departments.