The thought of having a head transplant is both amusing and extremely weird at the same time. I am sure that millions, even billions of people would reject this idea. It seems impossible for someone to live like Frankenstein. However, this idea is not strange for Sergio Canavero, an Italian surgeon.
According to source, the surgeon is planning to discuss his project at the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons conference this June. In a nutshell, the procedure starts by freezing the head of the receiver and the body that will be used. The major blood vessels will be connected using artificial tubes. Once connected, the patient will be put into a coma so that there will be no movements that will be made. It is expected that a person will fully recover in a span of one year.
Even experts are not fond of this idea. Forbes reported that what Dr. Canavero would like to achieve isn't doable. One of the major concerns of this ambitious project is if there will be no 'rejections'. This usually happens when one undergoes a kidney or a heart transplant. Sometimes, the body wouldn't be able to accept the new organ. Now, if a head transplant is going to push through, can the mind adapt what the body used to do?
Years ago, a head transplant involving a monkey was conducted. The monkey survived but only for a few days. Again, this is the issue of rejecting some organs because they are incompatible. Apart from that, one thing that we have to look at is the ethical side of this project. I just couldn't imagine myself having an entirely different body from what I used to know. I guess it will take hundreds of years before head transplant will be accepted. Or maybe, it won't be accepted at all.
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