The practice space of a general practitioner who performs minor surgery must have appropriate facilities. A separate treatment room with hot and cold running water is preferred over use of the examination table in the consulting room, where one is more likely to be interrupted by ringing telephones and people entering the room. Separate surgery hours also increase the likelihood of operating undisturbed.
It is practical to position the examination table in a way that there is sufficient room on both sides to walk and work. A separate or extending plank is suitable for procedures involving the arm or hand, but a small table that is the same height as the examination table is also suitable. An instrument table should also be present. Adequate lighting of the operating area can be achieved by an adjustable lamp. Halogen lamps are particularly well suited for this purpose. They produce excellent light and less heat than standard lamps. When purchasing a lamp, consider its range of adjustability.
A pedal bin must be within reach. The floor of the treatment room must be easy to maintain, i.e. smooth and washable with water.
Under ideal circumstances, an assistant should always be present during the intervention to hand the physician instruments, keep the wound open, swab blood, cut sutures, and collect material for anatomical-pathological assessment. During evening or weekend service, an assistant may not be present. In this case, the physician must find creative ways to ensure that asepsis, sterility, and the quality of the work is maintained despite the absence of this “third hand.” With regard to maintaining asepsis, abscess incision must not be performed in the treatment room for minor surgery, unless it is the last procedure scheduled for the day, after which the examination table, instrument table, lamp, floor, and pedal bin are disinfected. Instruments are disinfected and sterilised.