Acrotomophilia (from the Greek akron [extremity], tomein [to cut] and philein [to love]), refers to a paraphilia in which an individual expresses strong sexual interest in amputees. It is a counterpart to apotemnophilia, the sexual interest in being an amputee.
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In a survey of acrotomophiles, leg amputations were preferred over arm amputations; amputations of a single limb, over double amputations; and amputations that left a stump, over amputations that left no stump.[1] According to Solvang (2007), “Devotees adhere to standard conceptions of attractiveness in all other matters outside of amputations.”[2]
Some people question whether amputating one's own body parts or operating on a partner for the sake of sexual pleasure is ethical. For some, modifying the body is a private ritual of self-ownership and freedom of choice. Psychiatrists may make a diagnosis of Body integrity identity disorder (B.I.I.D.).[3][4]
The term amelotatism has also been used to describe acrotomophilia. The sexual interest in being an amputee is apotemnophilia.[5][6] John Money (1977) used the terms autoapotemnophilia and alloapotemnophilia to describe the erotic interest of wanting to be or appear as an amputee versus wanting amputees as sexual partners;[7] neither term has been widely used since. The term teratophilia is used to describe arousal from deformed or monstrous people.[8]