Coping with the complexities of informed consent in dermatologic surgery.

Few medico-legal issues have generated as much controversy as informed consent--the right of patients to be fully informed about the risks, complications, and alternatives to a medical treatment or surgical procedure before deciding whether or not to submit to it. This paper discusses the complexities inherent in the legal doctrine of informed consent and their implications for dermatologic surgery. Particular emphasis is placed on the legal requirements for informed consent, as well as the problems associated with informing patients and their potential solutions.