What complication can arise from inadequate patient information on treatment risks?

The complication that can arise from inadequate patient information on treatment risks is medical battery. Medical battery refers to the unauthorized or unwanted physical contact with a patient, which can occur when a healthcare provider performs a procedure without fully informing the patient about the associated risks and obtaining their consent. When a patient is not adequately informed, they may not truly understand what they are agreeing to, which undermines the legal concept of informed consent. If a procedure is performed without proper consent or sufficient understanding of its risks, it can be classified as medical battery, as the patient did not truly give permission based on comprehensive information.

While informed consent is essential for understanding and agreeing to treatment, in cases where the information is insufficient, it can lead directly to the situation of medical battery. Malpractice litigation typically involves claims of negligence rather than the direct violation of a patient's autonomy that constitutes medical battery. Informed refusal refers to a patient's right to refuse treatment after being fully informed of the risks, and inadequate information would hinder this process rather than cause it directly.