[Current aspects regarding the documentation and publication of photos in plastic surgery]. / Aktuelle Aspekte zur Fotodokumentation in der Plastischen Chirurgie und deren Veröffentlichung.

When using photos of patients for the purpose of documentation, their distribution or publication various legal obligations are to be considered. It is essential to know in which cases a written consent of the patient is mandatory and when it is not necessary. Moreover, it is decisive to note that even if a written consent of the patient exists, there are laws in the German legal system that regulate the publication of photo documentations. This is a difficult-to-read legal issue that unsettles many medical colleagues. In the following review we have tried to put the most important parts of the relevant legislation into an easier-to-read context.