A 90 years old woman, a widow already suffering from Dementia and other old age related diseases is brought to a hospital for treatment of raised intracranial pressure probably due to trauma to head caused by fall from bed! Neurosurgeon decides to put a shunt to release the impact of raised CSF pressure. Such cases are always very high risk cases and may even die on the table ! Her married daughter and two of her sons are present in the hospital. My query is as below:- Does the Neurosurgeon explain the process and prognosis to all the siblings? Who signs the consent form?
Eldest married daughter or elder of the two sons? Or all three can and should sign the consent ? As such these procedures are expensive and everybody may not be in agreement regarding the suggested course of treatment! What do you do if male attendants apparently seem to be under the effect of Alcohol! May they refuse…
