A Modular Form of Informed Consent for the OPHL Surgeries

A Modular Form of Informed Consent for the OPHL Surgeries

Book Chapter

Leone Giordano, Davide Di Santo, Andrea Galli, Mario Bussi

Atlas of Open Partial Horizontal Laryngectomy, 6 May 2025 [Springer]

Abstract

Open Partial Horizontal Laryngectomies (OPHLs) are well-established procedures for the treatment of laryngeal cancer. OPHLs have the advantage of being “modular,” such as they can be tailored to patients’ specific disease extent, and they can be intraoperatively extended according to unexpected tumoral infiltration. A modular informed consent form (ICF) should be implemented in such kind of surgery, being tailored to the patient as well and including any possible variation in the scheduled surgical plan. Furthermore, OPHLs may not be easy to understand for patients; in particular, their peculiar modularity may cause confusion. At the same time, the alliance between surgeon and patient is fundamental for postsurgical rehabilitation. To improve communication and cooperation, an information form should be provided to the patient days before the surgery. Both ICF and IF would improve communication and agreement between surgeon and patient and prevent any possible misunderstanding and litigation.