In the Traumatological Hospital in Brno in 1999 4975 operations were made incl. 1064 (21 %) during emergency services. Thus there are on average 3 (2.91) operations per emergency shift. 88 operations were made after midnight. The operations implemented during emergency shifts can be divided into three groups: urgent operations, operations on the common schedule which were delayed but partly also non-urgent operations which are performed because of economic pressure. The legal changes limiting overtime work make it important to seek ways how to preserve under the new conditions the scope of surgery while it is assumed that there will be a greater pressure to refer patients to the centre. The financial conditions of the Institute as regards funds are at variance with the efforts made.

        Key words: emergency service - surgical activities