Issue date: 2/12/03 Section: Opinion

One shouldn't brand a uterus. It is tacky, disrespectful, and can get you into trouble.

Dr. James Guiler of Lexington, Ky. is facing a lawsuit after his patient, Stephanie Means, discovered that he had used a cauterizing instrument to brand the initials of his alma mater -- University of Kentucky (UK) -- on her uterus to distinguish between the organ's left and right side, The Associated Press reported in January. Means discovered the markings after viewing a video of the procedure.

Marking the uterus before removing it is a standard hysterectomy procedure, but such markings have traditionally been limited to stitches or burn marks, Kim Alumbaugh, chairwoman of the Kentucky chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told the AP. What Guiler did was in bad taste because it not only cheapened the value of the organ, but it also showed utter disregard for the dignity and self-worth of his patient.

The uterus is important; it contains and nourishes during development before birth. When Stephanie Means went in for surgery, she trusted Guiler to perform the operation in a dignified manner. After having two children, parting with her uterus was surely difficult. She was about to lose a part of herself that had helped bring her two children into the world.  

When we brand something, we strip the item of its intrinsic value and replace it with some conditional worth. Marking her uterus "made her feel insignificant -- as if she did not matter," Means' attorney, Brenda Popplewell, told the AP.

Doctors are not artists, and they are not expected to sign their work. Others expect them to perform their job -- to heal people as best they can -- but not to leave markings so that they can be identified for a job well done. Dr. Nick Kafoglis, a former Kentucky state senator and retired gynecologist, told the AP that he agrees that most people would consider the branding of the initials "UK" on a uterus grossly inappropriate.

What is even more outrageous in this case is that Guiler chose to use the initials of his alma mater to mark a body part. Guiler has every right to be proud of his accomplishments and of being a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, but that in its own right does not give him license to mark "UK" on any and everything that he wishes. There are appropriate times and places to use the initials of one's alma mater: on a letterhead, a pen case, or a nameplate. Not only is it inconceivable to brand people, people should not be branded with the initials of a university -- no matter how honorable someone believes this to be.  

Means was right in speaking out against Guiler. For a man in a profession where human life is regarded with the utmost dignity, he managed to debase a rather vital organ and transform it into a piece of collegiate paraphernalia. It was not fair to Means or the University of Kentucky, for neither gave their consent to use these initials on human organs. If sensible, rational alumni have to seek permission to use a trademarked symbol, what makes Guiler an exception?

If Guiler needs to be reminded of his past accomplishments in medical school, rather than brand uteri, it is recommended that he simply hang his diploma on his office wall. Then he can look at it and be reminded of his achievement whenever he pleases.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools