Conflicts in the surgeon's duties to the patient and society

Surgeons may face a dilemma in which their obligations to their patients and their obligations to others or society may conflict. One way of examining these conflicts is through a model as depicted in Fig. 1. When both the patient and society are benefited (eg, in cases of routine surgical care), the surgeon may proceed with the planned treatment. In situations where it is agreed that both the patient and society will be harmed (eg, surgeon involvement in capital punishment or in many cases of deception), the surgeon should avoid acting in a manner against that of the patient. Many situations, however, involve the need to weigh the benefits and burdens of both the patient and society. In these cases, surgeons need to analyze carefully all of the ethical and legal issues involved, and make a decision based on their own set of values.