Commentary: Two-Eyed Seeing (Aistotsastip) and the Medicine Wheel for the Plastic Surgeon

Abstract

The Medicine Wheel, also known as the Sacred Hoop, is a concept embraced by some Indigenous communities and is expressed in many formats-in artwork (Figure 1), on land, and on paper. The movement on the wheel is circular and reflects the interconnections between the cycle of life and all aspects of health: physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health. The authors remind us of the important notion that as surgeons, we must understand-and recognize-all domains of health when treating our patients. Either consciously or unconsciously failing to recognize the importance of the connections between these aspects of health that may lead to nonadherence, lack of trust by our patients, increased risk of complications, and other potential poor outcomes that may not be measurable by our typical outcome measures. When