Der Unfallchirurg zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit.

Trauma surgeons must recognize life-threatening injuries, understand their mechanisms and pathophysiology, and be able to perform lifesaving procedures in order to preserve a patient's life. In the past, training in general surgery and additionally in trauma surgery has provided trauma surgeons with primary trauma competence and experience in secondary definitive reconstructive procedures of the prevailing trauma pattern. The new route to special traumatology via orthopaedic or trauma surgery specialist impedes reaching this wide primary trauma competence. In reality, today's orthopaedic trauma specialist does not meet the expectations needed for primary general trauma care, but will dedicate him/herself to focusing on a specific injury pattern or body region for secondary elective treatment. Therefore, in the future, we will need surgeons more like the American acute care surgeon or the British model of the emergency general surgeon, who deal with acute surgical emergencies and severe trauma conditions, and - most importantly - remain involved in elective surgical procedures in order to prevent getting out of sufficient practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]