ABSTRACT
Once a technique has passed into clinical use, the patient needs to be informed about the risks and benefits of the process, and its effectiveness, safety and stability. They should also be informed about the time-scale of the process because some techniques involve months or even years of healing before the effects can be achieved. Surgeons must always be aware of the patient’s psychology, his motivation for surgery and the aspects of his character that may make acceptance of problems, minor or major, a bar to embarking on the surgery (see Chapter 18).
