[Informed consent and documentation in anesthesiology]

Premedication is an essential part of anesthesiological work. On the one hand patients must be optimally prepared for the upcoming interventions and, if necessary, further pre-examinations must be arranged. On the other hand, however, patients must be informed in a legally correct manner about the risks of the upcoming anesthetic procedures. Deficiencies in risk information and documentation can lead to legal consequences. Therefore, this article intends to explain the legal basis of premedication and to provide practical guidance on which risks must be explained for which anesthetic procedures.