Rhino(septo)plasty Informed Consent. Consensus by the European Rhinoplasty Course Faculty

Informed Consent in Rhino(septo)plasty

Patients considering rhino(septo)plasty should receive clear and comprehensive information from their surgeon or surgical team. This includes an explanation of the procedure, realistic expectations about outcomes, possible risks and complications, post-operative care, and alternative treatment options.

Despite the importance of thorough patient education, there is currently no standardized agreement on what informed consent for rhino(septo)plasty should include. Recognizing this gap, the international faculty of the European Rhinoplasty Course in Brussels, organized by EUFOREA, reviewed existing literature on surgical outcomes, complication rates, and available consent forms.

Based on this extensive review, the faculty developed and validated a consensus-based informed consent proposal for rhino(septo)plasty. This proposal aligns with legal standards and reflects both current evidence and expert opinion.

The initiative provides a detailed overview of rhinoplasty and septoplasty outcomes, compares existing consent forms with ethical and legal requirements found in the literature, and offers a practical, standardized consent document to assist surgeons worldwide in improving communication with their patients.