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

Informed Consent in Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery: Patients’ Perspective of a Tertiary Service Process
Original Article
Vandna Verma, Hayser Medina Lucena, Ivilina Pandeva, Ashish Pradhan
International Urogynecology Journal, 31 January 2025
Abstract
Introduction and Hypothesis
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.
Methods
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.
Results
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.
Conclusions
A thorough consent process is associated with high patient satisfaction and facilitates shared decision making.