When it comes to liver transplantation, patients ask to be informed and to participate in decision-making. This is the result of a survey of 220 patients.
Patients awaiting transplants want to know the risks associated with donors. A survey, published on July 15 in Liver Transplantation, reveals that 80% of patients on the waiting list for a liver transplant or who have already had it want to receive more information on the risks associated with the available organ, and to be more involved in the decision-making process.
“Informed consent”
Dutch researchers interviewed 40 patients awaiting liver transplantation and 179 transplant recipients. The vast majority (70%) want to know the risks associated with the donor: transmission of an infectious disease, a malignant tumor, narrowing of the bile duct or even early failure of the transplant. This information would also give 25% of patients the opportunity to refuse donor groups. “Our results clearly show that the majority of transplant candidates want to be involved in decision-making,” concludes Dr. Robert Porte, who led the study. He believes that, as soon as a transplant is proposed, the role of the patient must be valued.
For half of the patients questioned, the information should be provided when the organ is available. This underlines their “need for informed consent,” say the authors of the study. They are still 28% to express the desire never to be informed of the risks, a declaration more frequent in the patients of low academic level. The others say they are ready to broach the subject once the intervention is over.
Better post-operative results
Patients want to be better informed about the risks… but accept them more. IThey are indeed very tolerant: nearly 75% of patients would accept the liver of a former heroin addict in good health or that of an elderly person. “Patients awaiting a liver transplant are ready to accept a risk of infectious transmission or of transplant failure which is quite high compared to the risk acceptable to doctors”, note the authors of the study.
Some may be reluctant to receive this better information. But such a decision is undoubtedly beneficial for both the patient and the medical team, recalls the study: “Better informed patients have more realistic expectations, which improves postoperative results and reduces the number of legal proceedings. “
.
