Amputation Research Paper

A Path to Amputation For Body Integrity Identity Patients
In this paper, I will argue that amputation is an ethically appropriate medical intervention for patients with Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) as long as certain criteria are followed. My argument for this is based on the fact that it is every medical professional’s ethical responsibility to relieve patients from their suffering and there is an inherent lack of alternative solutions to treating BIID. It might be objected to this that amputating a healthy limb inflicts unnecessary harm unto patients with BIID. However, I will show that not allowing patients with BIID to obtain treatment in the form of amputation it only prolongs the patients’ psychological distress and physical
Many people think that patients who desire an amputation of a healthy limb must be mentally unable to make a sound decision. However, by requiring therapy it ensures that a professional is confirming that the patient is capable of making a sound decision. Another argument is that patients requesting an amputation do not understand fully how difficult it is to live with an amputated limb or that they will be unnecessarily living with a disability that they should not have to live with. To solve this issue, the patient will have logged time spent living like an amputee would before the amputation to ensure that they understand every difficulty they will face as an amputee. Through this, the patient would understand the challenges of being and amputee and be able to make the fully educated, sound decision whether or not their suffering outweighs the challenges of being an amputee. Finally, there is the argument that other treatments may help the BIID patient without requiring an amputation. This issue is solved by both requiring therapy and by requiring the patient to search and try other treatment options. Ultimately this process would allow BIID patients a path to treatment, whether it is found before or after amputation, and would prove that amputation is the best treatment for every patient who did not find an alternative solution while completing the
I argue that it becomes unethical to not allow patients with BIID to receive an amputation because it is prolonging the patients’ physical and psychological suffering when other BIID patients have reported that amputations have worked to lessen the effects the condition. In response to the first objection of needing to strength the criteria, I am reluctant to agree. Patients with BIID often desire an amputation so strongly that they attempt the procedure themselves or purposefully injury themselves in order to receive their amputation. Requiring BIID patients to wait too long or inflicting too stringent criteria may encourage BIID patients to take matters into their own hands, rather than pursue the safer route of getting an amputation by a medical professional. Self-attempts to amputate endanger the life of patients with BIID, making this a pressing medical issue. For these reasons, I believe that the criteria laid out are appropriately designed to allow a reasonable path to amputation for BIID patients while recognizing and accommodating the issues of opponents to amputation by