Developing an International Framework for Informed Consent in Plastic Surgery: A Focus on Cosmetic Breast...

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Plastic Surgery
• Patient Rights

Background:

• Informed consent is crucial for patient rights and clinical practice.
• The International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies (ICPS) initiated a 2019 survey on informed consent in cosmetic surgery.
• The survey aimed to inform the development of an international guideline for cosmetic surgery practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current informed consent practices in cosmetic surgery globally.
• To gather surgeon feedback on essential elements of informed consent.
• To inform the creation of a standardized international guideline for cosmetic surgery informed consent.

Main Methods:

• A 15-question survey was distributed to International Confederation of Plastic Surgery Societies delegates.
• The survey included both quantitative and qualitative questions.
• Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed on the collected data.

Main Results:

• 364 respondents participated; over half lacked local informed consent policies.
• Most surgeons favored surgeon responsibility for consent via at least two face-to-face consultations and a cooling-off period.
• Surgeon responsibility for postoperative care, including surgical tourism, and financial consent were also discussed.

Conclusions:

• Informed consent should involve face-to-face surgeon consultations and a mandatory cooling-off period.
• Postoperative surveillance must be accessible in all cosmetic surgery settings.
• Survey findings will guide the development of an international informed consent guideline for cosmetic surgery.