Table 1.

Representative examples of surgical interventions (colorectal surgery) according to their urgency (level I–IV). Prioritization should be subject- and intervention-specific

Priority level	Disease (examples)	Recommended time of operation (weeks)	Priority of outpatient presentation
I	Trauma, bleeding (cancer, inflammation, haemorrhoids, etc.), after-bleeding, septic focus/abscess, perforation, toxic megacolon (ulcerative colitis, Clostridium difficile infection) Colorectal cancer with local complications (e.g. bleeding and stenosis) Complicated antibiotic-refractory diverticulitis Crohn’s ileitis with local complications (e.g. entero-cutaneous fistula, retroperitoneal fistula, abscess) Acute appendicitis	0–2	Immediately
II	Colorectal cancer without neo-adjuvant treatment Rectal cancer with neo-adjuvant treatment (if applicable prolonged interval between neo-adjuvant treatment and operation) Therapy-refractory ulcerative colitis Anal carcinoma Therapy-refractory anal fissure	2–4	Next working day
III	Chronic and recurrent diverticulitis Crohn’s ileitis without local complications Rectal adenoma (trans-anal excision, trans-anal microsurgery)	4–12	1–2 weeks
IV	Symptomatic haemorrhoids (except bleeding ➔ priority level I) Ileostomy/colostomy reversal without local complications (with local complications ➔ priority level II) Rectal prolapse, obstructed defecation syndrome, pilonidal disease	> 12	No physical appointment, telemedical care