While practical science deems head-transplant to be impossible, Dr. Sergio Canavero of Italy claimed that it just migth be possible. According to the Italian neurosurgeon, this is not impossible but it is definitely difficult. Nonetheless, he promised that the first ever human head transplantation will happen this year.
He shared that he already formed a team of surgeons composed of experts around the world. The team included doctors from China, Russia, and South Korea. Originally, it was 30-years-old VAlery Spiridonov, who suffers from degenerative muscle disease, who will be the one to receive the operation. In fact, he had been training with a virtual reality-assisted technology in preparation for the surgery. However, recent developments have made a Chinese patient a recipient of the operation. They set their operation in December 2017.
Canavero explained that they will be cooling the bodies enough to preserve the function of the brain and to also delay any neural injury. This step will be very crucial as they will have to cut the soft tissues in the neck. The blood vessels will have to be connected to tubes to avoid blood loss and a diamond knife will be used to cut the spinal cord. After this, the head will then be connected to a body, in which a 'biocompatible glue' will be used to connect them. After that, a "4-week-long drug-induced coma" will be required to allow healing. A virtual reality technology will then be used to train them to their new body.
Despite numerous objections from the scientific and medical community, Canavero is positive that the operation will be successful.
SOURCE:TNP
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