The concept of a waiting period for preoperative patient consent: Prospective study of 51 shoulder arthroscopy cases

The French Code of Public Health (CSP) does not explicitly require that patients should be given a certain amount of time to think about a procedure, except for cosmetic surgery, where 15 days is required (Art. L 6322-2 CSP). We hypothesized that patients require a waiting period during their decision-making process for scheduled shoulder arthroscopy procedure.

This prospective observational study of 51 patients analysed the concept of a waiting period based on a 10-item questionnaire. A comparative statistical approach was used and the P values were calculated using a paired Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Of the 51 patients, 42 (82%) rejected the concept of a waiting period before the procedure and 37 patients (73%) did not want a mandatory waiting period imposed by law.

This study looked at the decision-making process during scheduled orthopaedic surgery and differentiated between the conscious and unconscious approach corresponding to an active and passive waiting period. A waiting period does not allow patients to make a conceptually deliberative decision that conforms to the criteria defined by the French Health Authority. This study rejects the need for a mandatory waiting period imposed on surgeons and patients as it does not integrate itself into the informative model of ethical decision-making for scheduled shoulder arthroscopy.

Prospective, observational; level of evidence IV.