[Patient education: what does the patient know, what does he want to know? Thrombosis and wound infection]

The manners of which preoperative informations are given to a patient depend on several different points. So not only the patient's education, his knowledge of medical items and his intelligence are important, but also the juridical situation and the doctor's ability to explain the situation in a way the patient is able to understand. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patient's previous knowledge about two major complications in surgery--thrombosis and wound infection. Beside this it was looked for the importance of confidence in the doctor and previous information about the operation.

117 patients aged 16 to 87 years were tested anonymous by a standardised questionnaire.

There is only little knowledge about the time a thrombosis develops, embolism, a wound infection and their consequences. On the other side, more than 50% of the patients were able to explain correctly the symptoms of thrombosis and the time a wound infection occurs. There was a correlation between the statement of knowledge about thrombosis (p < 0.01) and wound infection (p < 0.01) and the ability of correct explanation. Almost 90% of the patients thought that information about the operation is as important as the confidence in their surgeon. More than two third of the patients wanted to be informed about "everything" that possibly could happen. The main sources of information were neighbours, friends, the press, books and at last the doctor.

There wasn't any influence of former surgeries, the awareness of complications or education on the active knowledge of the patients. Therefore we think that the way of giving explanation to a patient should help reducing fear of an uncomfortable situation and take account to the patients need for information. Thus, the patient will be able to make a real decision.