THE PRINCIPLE OF INFORMED CONSENT IN EMERGENCY SURGERY -- EQUIVOCAL SITUATION IN MAKING LIFE-SAVING DECISIONS.

Informed consent is a vital document that should be obtained from the patient before performing any manoeuvres, either diagnostic or therapeutic. The principle of informed consent has gained important juridical interpretations and implications; therefore it has a great influence on daily medical practice. It is presented as fundamental ethical norm in major medical codes such as Hippocratic Oath, the Declaration of Geneva and the International Code of Medical Ethics. Most of the equivocal situations and issues in making life-saving decisions are encountered on emergency basis. This paper presents legal and ethical considerations regarding the informed consent for emergency treatment of patients. Medical decisions performed without informed consent must be dictated by the need to save the patient's life, unequivocally and well documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]