Patients Body Modeling: A Practical Theoretical Experience in Plastic Surgery

Abstract

This research is an active pedagogical experience with surgeons who are specialized in reconstructive plastic surgery and nursing. The guiding questions were the statements of each Surgeon’s clients and what they think about them. Modeling the imaginary bodies of the patients and identify what they built in their minds, highlighting topics and the discussion about the practice made in clay modeling. Eight bodies were modeled, with six bodies with all the senses and two incomplete bodies with only the regions of the breasts and buttocks. It was concluded that there are diverse issues emerging such as gender, ethics, care, spirituality and dream as the fulfillment of the wishes of the patients. Where in the body can these surgeons act to improve the patients’ physical and quality of life? There is an important theme when we are generally welcoming women into an anamnesis that considers their body as a whole, but what is their expectation for each patient? This paper showed the importance of the preoperative evaluation of this whole, for the indication of repairs or contraindications of procedures that aim to improve the physical of the patients, with possible bodily surgical modifications as a form of modeling through liposuction, grafting or excision with lipectomy and withdrawal of excess skin to mitigate the effects of the transformations that deform the physical and end up harming the human relationship, especially women. This is a qualitative method showing the meanings of the bodies of the women represented in the modeling by the Surgeons. However, some surgeons stand out by the look of their practice, as greater sensitivity looking at the body as a whole, spiritual and emotional. They need to use their skills as surgical art and gift, to try to achieve a means, but not an end.