Abstract
This paper discusses the ethical issues related to hemicorporectomy surgery, a radical procedure that removes the lower half of the body in order to prolong life. The literature on hemicorporectomy (HC), also called translumbar amputation, has been nearly silent on the ethical considerations relevant to this rare procedure. We explore five aspects of the complex landscape of hemicorporectomy to illustrate the broader ethical questions related to this extraordinary procedure: benefits, risks, informed consent, resource allocation and justice, and loss and the lived body.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 289-294 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Bioethical Inquiry |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2014 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Body modification
- Hemicorporectomy
- Informed consent
- Lived body
- Resource allocation
- Risks and benefits
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Health(social science)
- Health Policy