Current practices and medico-legal aspects of pre-operative consent

Background: Written informed consent is a pre requisite for surgical intervention as it provides the forum for the patient to appreciate implications of the procedure and the doctor to explain details and effects of the surgery. Objectives: To evaluate the practice of obtaining informed consent pre-operatively by surgeons in Benin City and proffer solutions that would enhance its practice. Design: Cross-sectional study involving surgical patients or their relations or gurdian (in cases involving minors and unconscious patients) who were interviewed with structured ended questionnaires. Setting: Study was carried out at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, between 5th July and 6th September 2002. Results: One hundred and thirty-three respondents; 53(39.2%) males and 80(60.2%) females were interviewed. Documentations regarding consent were noted in 118(88.7%) cases. Of these, 74.6% felt they had enough time to reflect on the consent obtained while 48(36.1%) respondents were meeting the individual who obtained their consent for the first time. The content of information offered patients prior to obtaining consent was found to be significantly related to the levels of education (X2= 31.44; P<0.001). Over a hundred respondents were not informed of risk of procedure. Nonetheless over 50% of respondents felt satisfied with information supplied. Conclusion: The quality of consent obtained from the average patient fell below expected standard. There is need for greater awareness amongst administrators of consent on the essence of improving quality of information given and mode of obtaining consent from patients.