Prompt Cast
The History and Controversies of Amputation
TLDR Amputation has a long history dating back to ancient times and has advanced significantly over the years. It is a last resort procedure done to save lives, but it is also surrounded by controversies such as apotemnophilia and the fetishization of amputees.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
This episode is about amputation and the story of Aaron Ralston, who had to amputate his own arm after being trapped by a boulder while canyoning.
05:25
Amputation is a last resort procedure that is done to save a person's life, and it dates back thousands of years to ancient times.
10:30
Amputation advanced over the years, especially during wartime, and the first guy to bring back leg ligation was a military surgeon named Ambrose Paray in 1529.
15:46
Amputation can be caused by disease or traumatic injury, with disease being the leading cause in the US and traumatic injury being the leading cause for those under 50.
21:10
The number of amputees in the United States has increased, largely due to obesity, with one out of every 176 Americans being an amputee.
26:24
During the amputation surgery, surgeons measure blood flow to determine where to cut and try to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, especially around the joints, in order to optimize the use of a prosthetic limb.
31:36
Phantom pain is a common and chronic condition that occurs after amputation, but there are treatments such as mirror therapy and brain plasticity techniques that can help alleviate the pain.
36:40
During the amputation surgery, the surgeon cuts through the skin, muscle, and nerves, and then proceeds to cut the blood vessels, smooth out the bone, and close the skin, while closely monitoring for infection.
41:56
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has an initiative called "sign your site" where surgeons initial the surgical site to prevent amputation mistakes, and the Joint Commission has a protocol called a timeout where everyone pauses before surgery to ensure everything is correct.
47:08
Some people are attracted to the idea of living without a limb, which is known as apotemnophilia, and there is controversy over whether it should be considered a paraphilia or not.
52:44
There are people who are sexually aroused by amputees, and there are online communities and chat rooms dedicated to amputee porn and discussions about this fetish.
57:40
The speaker underwent elective surgery to put in a fake testicle for cosmetic purposes and is proud of the decision.
Categories:
Society & Culture
