World’s first HUMAN HEAD transplant
In December 2017, Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero is planning to perform the first-ever head transplant. He will put the head of a terminally ill Valery Spiridonov on a new body.
Yes you heard it right, in December of this year, Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero is planning to perform the first-ever head/body transplant.
neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero and a team of about 150 doctors and nurses will put the head of Valery Spiridonov on an whole new body. 30 year old Valery Spiridonov suffers from Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy.
By WiKi definition, Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), also called autosomal recessive proximal spinal muscular atrophy in order to distinguish it from other conditions with similar name, is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterised by loss of motor neurons and progressive muscle wasting, often leading to early death.
The controversial surgery is attracting different opinions.
Arthur Caplan, director of medical ethics at New York University’s Langone Medical Centre described Dr Canavero as “nuts”.
“I would not wish this on anyone,” said Dr Hunt Batjer, president elect of the American Association for Neurological Surgeons.
“I would not allow anyone to do it to me as there are a lot of things worse than death.”
As for Valery Spiridonov it is a chance to have a normal life, a life without limitations.
“If I manage to replace my body and if everything goes well, it will allow me to be free of the limitations I am experiencing. I am not rushing to go under the surgeon’s knife, I am not shouting – come and save me here and now. Yes, I do have a disease which often leads to death, but my first role in this project is not that of a patient. First of all, I am a scientist, I am an engineer, and I am keen to persuade people – medical professionals – that such operation is necessary”
He told MailOnline: “If you want something to be done, you need to participate in it. I do understand the risks. There are many. “We can’t even imagine what exactly can go wrong. I’m afraid that I wouldn’t live long enough to see it happen to someone else.”
As for Sergio Canavero the success of this operation will be a tool to extend life on earth.
“We are one step closer to extend life indefinitely because when I will be able to give a new body to an 80-year-old they could live for other 40 years,” said the Italian surgeon.