Estetska operacija i građanska odgovornost operatora

Abstract

Legitimitet estetske ili kozmetičke operacije nije danas više sporan. Pristanak pacijenta u stanju je da opravda i terapijski i neterapijski zahvat u njegovo telo. Međutim, pristanak na terapijski zahvat uslovljen je stanjem nužde, dok je pristanak na estetsku operaciju izazvan ličnom željom za lepšim spoljašnjim izgledom. Bolestan čovek je spreman da radi svog lečenja prihvati i izvesne neizbežne štete po zdravlje, ako ga one manje opterećuju nego postojeća bolest. Pacijent (klijent) koji želi estetsku operaciju, po pravilu, nije spreman na sličnu žrtvu, tj. da zarad lepšeg izgleda pristane i na štetu za svoje zdravlje. Zato on mora imati potpunu i tačnu predstavu o estetskoj operaciji, njenim šansama i rizicima. To znači da lekar treba da mu dade opširnija i uverljivija obaveštenja o tim stvarima, prilagođena njegovim potrebama i njegovom razumevanju. Ograničenja koja važe za obaveštenje pacijenta kome predstoji terapijska medicinska mera, ne važe za pacijenta od koga se očekuje pristanak na estetsku operaciju. Slično lekaru koji obavlja lečenje bolesnika, ni kozmetički hirurg ne duguje garanciju za uspeh, nego samo postupanje prema važećem standardu svoje struke. Jer, uspeh ne zavisi isključivo od lekareve veštine i sposobnosti, nego i od činilaca iz organizma samog pacijenta, koji se ne dadu unapred spoznati. Ali lekar može, dobrovoljno, izričito i nedvosmisleno, da preuzme garanciju za uspeh estetske operacije.

The legitimacy of aesthetic or cosmetic surgery is not questioned nowadays. Patient consent may justify both therapeutic and non-therapeutic treatment. However, there is a difference between the two. Consenting to a therapeutic treatment is normally prompted by state of emergency, i.e. by the urgent needs of a patient, while consenting to an aesthetic surgery usually stems from a personal wish to look or appear better. A person who is ill or unwell is generally prepared to consent to a certain damage or harm to health, as long as it is less taxing or demanding than the existing condition. On the other hand, and as a rule, a client who is willing to undergo aesthetic surgery is not prepared to suffer bodily injury or harm to health for the purposes of looking or appearing better. This is why it is particularly important that a person undergoing aesthetic, nontherapeutic treatment acquires complete and accurate information with respect to the prospects, chances and risks of the cosmetic surgery. Surgeon should inform this kind of patient (client) minutely and in more details, in a manner adjusted to the patient’s needs and ability of understanding. The usual restrictions to the extent and manner a patient should be informed prior to therapeutic medical examination or treatment, do not apply in case of aesthetic surgery. Similarly to physician examining or treating a patient who is ill or unwell, aesthetic or cosmetic surgeon does not warrant success of the examination or treatment he performs, but only that he will act in accordance to the standards of medical profession. Success of the treatment does not depend solely on the physician’s skills and abilities, but also on other factors related to the patient’s organism and bodily functions, that cannot be predicted or discovered beforehand. However, medical doctor may voluntarily, expressly and unequivocally assume warranty of success of an aesthetic operation.