Ethical Issues in Colorectal Surgery

Ethics, at its most fundamental level, is a way to answer the question, “what should we do?” In this chapter, I define what “ethical dilemmas” are and discuss one approach for resolving them. I discuss informed consent, surrogate decision-making, futility, and refusal of care. I analyze the current state of disparities in surgical outcomes by race and socioeconomic status. Finally, I consider the problem of financial conflicts of interest, and the recent “Sunshine law.”