Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Nov 2014
Patient fear of anesthesia complications according to surgical type: potential impact on informed consent for anesthesia.
Past research has explored patients' expectations about the informed consent process. However, it is currently unknown if the complexity of the surgical procedure influences the type of anesthesia-related risks that patients wish disclosed. This study explored fears of anesthesia-related complications and whether these changed based on severity of surgery classification. ⋯ Awareness by anesthesia providers of those fears that patients report may allow for a more personalized approach to providing information that may better allay anxiety. Further, these results may better tailor the informed consent process to one that meets particular patient concerns.