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Informed consent in functional endoscopic sinus surgery: the patient's perspective.
Mary Talley Bowden1, Christopher A Church, Alexander G Chiu
1Memorial Northwest Otolaryngology Associates, Houston, TX, USA.
Summary
Patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) desire thorough discussions of potential complications, including vision changes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, despite potential anxiety. This comprehensive disclosure is considered important for informed consent.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Surgical Patient Education
Background:
- Informed consent is crucial before functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
- Surgeon-determined discussion of potential complications can vary.
- Over-disclosure may cause patient anxiety or deter beneficial procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate patient perspectives on discussing potential complications before FESS.
- To understand patient preferences regarding the extent of information provided during the informed consent process.
Main Methods:
- A list of potential FESS complications was reviewed with patients.
- Patients completed questionnaires regarding their consent and perceived complication importance before and after surgery.
Main Results:
- Patients consistently valued discussing most potential FESS complications.
- Vision changes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak were rated as the most critical complications to discuss.
- No significant differences in patient preferences were observed between primary and revision FESS cases.
Conclusions:
- Patients advocate for comprehensive disclosure of potential FESS complications.
- Despite inducing anxiety, thorough discussion is deemed essential for informed consent.
- Study findings may influence surgeon counseling practices for FESS.