Informed Consent in Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery: Patients' Perspective of a Tertiary Service Process

Obtaining informed consent to surgery is essential for ethical, legal, and quality-care reasons. This study evaluates patients' understanding, experience, and satisfaction with the informed consent process prior to pelvic reconstructive surgery.

A prospective study was conducted from April 2021 to April 2022, registered as a service evaluation project. It included all consenting women undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery. A standardised questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions assessed patients' experiences and decision-making evaluated using the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS). Satisfaction was evaluated through a five-point Likert scale and a ten-point visual analogue scale (VAS) for response reliability.

The study included 87 patients with a mean age of 61.4 years (SD 11.4). A significant 96.6% read the consent form thoroughly, 98% affirmed detailed explanations by staff, and 88.5% found the explanation clear. Although 83.9% considered the surgery details sufficient, 16.1% found the information overly detailed or too brief. Most patients (91.9%) felt that they had ample time to think before signing, and 75.9% deemed both oral and written information helpful. Only 13.8% preferred medical staff to decide for them, whereas 55.2% valued being included in decision making. Key factors influencing satisfaction were detailed procedure information (72.4%) and reading the consent form (51.7%). The mean DCS score was 7, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Overall, 85% were very satisfied or satisfied with the consent process, with 89.7% scoring 8-10 on the VAS scale.

A thorough consent process is associated with high patient satisfaction and facilitates shared decision making.