Abstract

Informed consent is a process through which a surgeon makes a competent patient aware of the risks, benefits, and alternatives to an operation that a reasonable person would want to know in order to make a rational decision on how to proceed. The value of informed consent stems from respect of individual autonomy, a key principle of medical ethics. Many patients have a limited understanding of anatomy, which limits their understanding of an operation’s risks (e.g. the risk of bile duct injury or retained stones in cholecystectomy). Studies of informed consent practices suggest that a mode of presentation that includes images can improve patients’ comprehension and recall of surgical risks and benefits. Including diagrams of relevant anatomy within surgical consent forms has the potential to enhance patient understanding.