Il "Consenso Informato" in Chirurgia.

It is common knowledge that the relationship between doctor and patient is of fundamental importance, in order to obtain therapeutical results. In the context of this relationship the so-called informed consent represents the active partecipation of the patient, together with thr phisician,in the achievement of a complete recovery.The consent, in order to be considered valid, implies clear and correct information for the patient as far as the phisician is concerned, and a cognitive acceptance by the patient.The consent must therefore be intended as agreement freely accepted by the patient as an expression of his rights; the patient takes act of the fact that he is well aware of the risk involved and possible consequences connected with the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures proposed by the phisician and to which he agrees. This informed consent has to be obtained prior to any medical or surgical procedure, nevertheless has to be considered effective from the moment the patient has been taken into care to recovery, until discharged from the Hospital, and therefore the consent has to be formalized in a document, which should be considered an integral part of the medical record: We produced this form, which is used in our Department of Vascular Surgery of the University of Milan, Bassini Hospital, since almost a year. The various components of this form are widely discussed in detail.