Involving the process of building something back together after it has been damaged, destroyed, or taken apart.
From 're-' (again) + 'construct' (from Latin 'construere,' to build together). The prefix 're-' creates a sense of renewal, and the term became common in surgery and history during the late 1800s.
Reconstructive surgery is different from cosmetic surgery in a crucial way that insurance companies understand—reconstructive surgery repairs function and fixes damage (like rebuilding after an accident), while cosmetic changes appearance for appearance's sake alone.
Medical language around 'reconstructive' surgery often applies gendered standards (e.g., breast reconstruction after cancer framed through beauty/womanhood, not health parity).
In medical contexts, use 'reconstructive' for functional restoration; question gendered aesthetic standards implicit in procedures.
["restorative","functional repair"]
Women's bodily autonomy in surgical decisions has been historically compromised by masculine medical authority; centering patient agency reframes 'reconstruction.'
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