Body parts?

I was blessed to group up in a Jewish neighborhood, although I am not. I learned there that if an Orthodox Jew undergoes an amputation, the amputated limb must be saved to eventually be buried with the body. Being old, and having a cataract removed, I wondered: would that also apply to a cararact? Or a mastectomy? My very dear Orthodox friend didn't know. Thank you.

Shalom! 

Thank you for your question. 

As a general rule, only limbs that have a bone need to be buried and not necessarily in a place where the person himself will eventually be buried.

We see that when Yiftach was suffering from an illness that caused his limbs to wither away and fall off one at a time, he ensured that each limb was properly buried. It is not clear, however, if doing so was halachically required or whether it was simply done for other considerations, such as convenience, or to ensure that a Kohen would not become defiled by them.  

Nevertheless, le'halcha one should bury amputated limbs that has a bone.

Shevut Yakov 2:101; Imrei Yosher 3:125; Noda Biyhuda, YD 209; Melamed L’hoil Y.D. 118, B’tzel Hachachma 6:39; Gesher Hachaim 1:15:2:2; Igrot Moshe YD 3:141; Pitchei Teshuva, YD 362:1 

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