Is Consenting For Blindness in Prone Spinal Procedures relevant?

Abstract

Prone position is commonly used in spinal surgery as well as other specialties. The associated complications with this are well documented within the literature [1]. Informed consenting process for prone spinal operations should entail listing the benefits of the proposed surgical procedure as well as the known complications. The commonly quoted complications by the spinal surgeons are infection, CSF leak, bleeding including major vascular injury [2]. Neurological deficit, bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction, spinal instability, need for revision, stroke, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.