Recall Dysfunction: Significance in the Postoperative Patient

Abstract

There have been reports of patients experiencing problems with recall concerning informed consent following surgical procedures. Very few patients recall everything that was discussed before surgery and this was attributed to the perioperative amnesiac medications and stress of surgery. This study shows that even normal young individuals, without having undergone a surgical procedure, had difficulties recalling the written list of possible risks and complications of abdominoplasty 1 month after having read the list. Patient recall of informed consent discussions should be suspect as to its accuracy.