Science & Technology
Is a human head transplant possible ?
By
T.K. RandallJuly 2, 2013 ·
38 comments
Image Credit: sxc.hu
A prominent neurosurgeon believes that transplanting a human head is now actually a viable procedure.
While head transplants have been a staple of experiments on animals since the 1970s, the idea of transplanting the head of one person on to another has remained impossible, mainly because there is no way to reconnect the spinal cord. There is also the question of whether a person could remain alive during such a procedure and whether it would even be the same person by the end of it.
Dr Sergio Canavero believes that the technology now exists that could make such a procedure a reality. "The greatest technical hurdle to such endeavour is of course the reconnection of the donor's and recipient's spinal cords," he said. "It is my contention that the technology only now exists for such linkage. It is argued that several up to now hopeless medical conditions might benefit from such a procedure." [!gad]While head transplants have been a staple of experiments on animals since the 1970s, the idea of transplanting the head of one person on to another has remained impossible, mainly because there is no way to reconnect the spinal cord. There is also the question of whether a person could remain alive during such a procedure and whether it would even be the same person by the end of it.
Dr Sergio Canavero believes that the technology now exists that could make such a procedure a reality. "The greatest technical hurdle to such endeavour is of course the reconnection of the donor's and recipient's spinal cords," he said. "It is my contention that the technology only now exists for such linkage. It is argued that several up to now hopeless medical conditions might benefit from such a procedure."
Dr Sergio Canavero believes that the technology now exists that will allow surgeons to carry out the Frankenstein-style procedure, which has been tested out on animals since 1970.
Source:
Telegraph |
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