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Chin et al. Plast Aesthet Res 2023;10:52 Plastic and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-9264.2023.44
Aesthetic Research

Systematic Review Open Access

A systematic review on embodiment and breast
reconstruction: a patient-centered framework for

evolving breast outcome measures

2
2
1
2
2
Madeline G. Chin , Sahand C. Eftekari , Steven P. Moura , D’ Andrea T. Donnelly , Ellen C. Shaffrey , Lucas
Sears 2 , Aaron M. Dingle 2
1
Division of Plastic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
2
Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
Correspondence to: Dr. Aaron M. Dingle, Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public
Health, 5107 Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA. E-mail:
dingle@surgery.wisc.edu
How to cite this article: Chin MG, Eftekari SC, Moura SP, Donnelly DAT, Shaffrey EC, Sears L, Dingle AM. A systematic review on
embodiment and breast reconstruction: a patient-centered framework for evolving breast outcome measures. Plast Aesthet Res
2023;10:52. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2023.44

Received: 22 May 2023 First Decision: 26 Jul 2023 Revised: 8 Aug 2023 Accepted: 28 Aug 2023 Published: 16 Sep 2023
Academic Editors: Raffaele Rauso, Tine Engberg Damsgaard, Gordon Kwanlyp Lee Copy Editor: Dan Zhang Production Editor:
Dan Zhang

Abstract
Embodiment describes the sense of one’s own body, encompassing dimensions of being, having, and using a body.
Regarding breast reconstruction, embodiment can be understood as how effectively the reconstructed breast
replaces the patient’s missing breast. While there has been increasing attention in recent decades on
understanding and measuring embodiment in the prosthetic limb, there is limited literature applying embodiment
to the context of breast reconstruction. We posit that the literature on prosthetic embodiment can be applied to
evolving discussions on breast reconstruction outcomes and patient satisfaction. As breast reconstruction
techniques continue to evolve, such as advances in nerve coaptation and reinnervation of the breasts, the concept
of embodiment may help broaden the scope of how patient outcomes can be more holistically evaluated. This
systematic review examines existing literature on embodiment after breast reconstruction, summarizes
embodiment and its subcomponents, and discusses how embodiment can be a helpful framework for the future of
breast reconstruction outcome measures.
Keywords: Embodiment, breast reconstruction, prosthetic embodiment

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
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