Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) is a condition characterised by an individual´s perception that their body´s appearance or function does not correspond to their internal body image. The condition may manifest itself as ´need´ to be ´disabled´ in a variety of different ways. The commonest appears to be a need to be an amputee, but others desire forms of paralysis, visual or auditory impairment, incontinence or to wear a cast.
Robert C. Smith, M.D., General Surgeon in Scotland, describes his personal view: "The general public and most medical practitioners regard an amputation as a devastating and mutilating procedure and for most patients this is in fact true. For the BIID patient, however, amputation is a doorway to a new and enriched life in which their perceived body image matches their ideal.
If one considers the four pillars of medical ethics - autonomy, beneficience, non malificience and justice - the BIID-patient regards that amputation is compatible with all of these, however the general public and most medical practitioners are of the opinion that the ethical constraints prevent treatment by surgery...
The search for curative non-surgical therapies must be continued, but in the meantime I feel that we are obliged to consider amputation as a valid therapy ..."
