The influence of written information during the consenting process on patients' recall of operative risks. A prospective randomised study

In a recent article, Leigh (J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 88-B:16-18, 2006) notes that patients do not lay down memory when being counselled as to the risks involved in prospective surgery. In our article we focused on the patients' recall of risk factors involved in elective spinal surgery. We assessed the influence of written information provided to the patients during the consenting process on their recall of operative risks. The study was a prospective randomised study. All patients having elective spinal surgery were included in our study from February 2006 to November 2006 as a consecutive series. Patients were randomised into two groups, one of which received routine consent with verbal explanations (group 1), the other received the same information supplemented by a written sheet explaining the risks of the surgery (group 2). Two weeks later we assessed patients' recall of the risk involved in the surgery with a questionnaire and compared both groups with a Student t-test. Fifty-three patients (twenty in group 1 and twenty three in group 2) were involved. We noted a significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean number of risks recalled and number of patients recalling each risk (p < 0.001 and p < 0.005, respectively). The addition of a written sheet given to patients during the consenting process makes a significant difference in terms of their recall of the surgical risks in elective lumbar spine surgery. We advocate the routine use of written booklets during the consenting process.