Famous Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero published a scientific paper a few days ago in which he introduced the technique of a human head transplantation surgery. The British edition of New Scientist quotes the doctor saying that in two years he will be able to prove in practice that this is possible. He will present this sensational statement in June at a conference in Annapolis (USA).
Sergio announced the idea of transplanting a human head for the first time in July 2013. The surgery presupposes the donor’s and recipient’s state of artificial coma, the body should be cooled to 18 degrees, and then, using a special sharp scalpel, the doctors will have to separate the heads from the bodies. Then one will have to glue the bone marrow of the donor’s head and the patient’s torso using the polyethylene glycol-based adhesive, and connect the blood vessels according to the developed “welding” methodology. Connecting the two parts of the spinal cord, which is necessary to avoid paralysis, is the main difficulty of the surgery.
Canavero expects that the brain, which is a kind of “cell factory” influenced by polyethylene glycol, will gradually restore its vital functions. This procedure was tested on rats. All the limbs transplanted to rats took root and functioned normally. If polyethylene glycol works ineffectively in case of a human being, it is supposed to be replaced with stem cells injections.
The neurosurgeon is confident that the results will be stunning – a man with an implanted head will be able to move, use the face and even talk. Canavero hopes to help people with disabilities, who have been unable to control their bodies as a result of paralysis. He says that several people have already agreed to transplant the head.
However, other surgeons, and society in general, are greatly skeptical about such claims. The ethical side of the matter, according to Sergio, can become a major problem in the implementation of the plan.
Foreign journalists quote the doctor saying if society does not want such surgeries, he will not practice them. But if it is only in the US or Europe that people do not want them, such surgeries can be conducted anywhere else.
