The consent process is an imperative part of surgical practice. The natural history of your condition will be discussed along with all available management options. You will be given the opportunity and time to ask any questions to decide the treatment best suited to you and your goals. Your views will be listened to and supported.
I will use my knowledge, experience and clinical judgment, and the patient’s views of their condition, to identify which investigations or treatments are likely to result in overall benefit for each individual patient.
If surgery is indicated, all pros and cons will be discussed (including risks of complications) according to figures quoted in the literature and audits from my own practice.
It is fundamental that you have the time to consider these in detail. I often schedule a further appointment (consent clinic) to allow the time needed to consider the surgical intervention.
For more details please see the following information from the British Association of Spine Surgeons with some procedure specific consent forms for common spine operations: