Table 2.
Reasons why the surgeons may not disclose detailed operative findings to patients or their families
| Reason | Response rate on a scale from 1 (less) to 5 (very important) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 It is not surgical culture to disclose detailed operative findings | 4 (3.9) | 12 (11.8) | 17 (16.7) | 13 (12.7) | 50 (49.0) |
| 2 To protect patients from unnecessary grave information | 30 (29.4) | 8 (7.8) | 28 (27.5) | 23 (22.5) | 8 (7.8) |
| 3 Surgeons know what information is necessary to pass to patients | 18 (17.6) | 22 (21.6) | 20 (19.6) | 9 (8.8) | 25 (24.5) |
| 4 No legal requirements to disclose full information to patients | 32 (31.4) | 13 (12.7) | 16 (15.7) | 18 (17.6) | 10 (9.8) |
| 5 Not ethically mandatory to disclose full information to patients | 10 (9.8) | 16 (15.7) | 20 (19.6) | 15 (14.7) | 29 (28.4) |
| 6 Fear of litigation if surgeons' professional errors are discovered | 15 (14.7) | 21 (20.6) | 19 (18.6) | 16 (15.7) | 14 (13.7) |
| Figures in parentheses are percentages. | |||||