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Consent in Surgical Practice

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Abstract

Informed consent addresses core principles of medical ethics—beneficence, nonmaleficence and autonomy. In this era of ever-increasing legal and social scrutiny of complex surgical procedures, informed consent is not just an ethical debate but a legal requirement. Unfortunately, many surgeons, to their own peril, still see it as a mere formality. This article deliberates upon informed consent process in surgical practice with emphasis on Indian perspectives and discusses common scenarios and special situations through legal citations in order to sensitize surgeons regarding their obligations pertaining to informed consent.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AIIMS Patna, Patna, India

    Bindey Kumar

  2. Department of Paediatric Surgery, AIIMS Patna, Patna, India

    Mokarram Ali & Amit Kumar Sinha

  3. Department of Paediatrics, AIIMS, Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur, India

    Manish Kumar

  4. Trauma & Emergency, AIIMS Patna, Patna, India

    Anil Kumar

  5. Gastro-Intestinal Surgery, AIIMS Patna, Patna, India

    Utpal Anand

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  1. Bindey Kumar
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Correspondence to Bindey Kumar.

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Kumar, B., Ali, M., Kumar, M. et al. Consent in Surgical Practice. Indian J Surg 83, 1345–1352 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-020-02698-7

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