DOI: 10.1093/ced/llag421 ISSN: 0307-6938

Consenting for Mortality Risk in Dermatological Surgery: Is It Necessary?

John H Ye, Lydia Partridge, Luke Brindley, David Veitch, Aaron Wernham

This study examines coroners’ cases in which skin surgery was identified as a key contributing factor to death, supplemented by NHS dermatological legal claims data in England between 2015-2025. We use these findings to explore the appropriate contexts for discussing mortality risks associated with dermatological surgery during the consent process, and highlight the need for clearer guidance on this issue.