Patients' perspective on full disclosure and informed consent regarding postoperative visual loss associated with spinal surgery in the prone position.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine patients' opinions regarding the person, method, and timing for disclosure of postoperative visual loss (POVL) associated with high-risk surgery.

Patients and methods

On the basis of findings of a pilot study involving 219 patients at Mayo Clinic in Florida, we hypothesized that at least 80% of patients would prefer disclosure of POVL by the surgeon, during a face-to-face discussion, before the day of scheduled surgery. To test the hypothesis, we sent a questionnaire to 437 patients who underwent prolonged prone spinal surgical procedures at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, or Mayo Clinic in Arizona from December 1, 2008, to December 31, 2009.

Results

Among the 184 respondents, 158 patients gave responses supporting the hypothesis vs 26 with at lea

SUBMITTER: Corda DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3258003 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature