Head transplant doctor claims spinal cord breakthrough
The surgeon who claims he will perform the world's first head transplant next year has released a series of videos showing paralysed animals that have been 'healed' by his groundbreaking technique.
The videos show a mouse, rat and a dog that are able to walk.
Weeks earlier they had had their spinal cords severed and the ends treated with a chemical that may help them fuse together again.
The work was carried out by researchers in South Korea, who have been collaborating with Italian neurosurgeon Dr Sergio Canavero.
He said the experiments proved the spinal cord could be reconstructed, paving the way for a head transplant on a paralysed human.
Other scientists have dismissed the claim, saying the small number of animals treated do not provide enough proof.
The Korean researchers detail their experiments in a series of papers edited by Dr Canavero for the journal Surgical Neurology International.
Volunteer patient, Valery Spiridonov, meets neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero for the first time. Photo: Supplied
In the first experiment, 16 mice had their spinal cords cut.
Half then had a chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG) injected into the gap between the severed nerve fibres. The rest were injected with a salt solution.
Five of the mice treated with PEG regained some ability to move, suggesting the chemical had helped to fuse the severed nerve fibres, allowing signals from the brain to reach the limb once again.
In a second experiment, the PEG was combined with tiny graphene ribbons that the researchers claim act as "tracks" to ensure the two ends of the spinal cord grow towards each other.
A rat treated with the combination was able to walk again after two weeks.
In the final experiment, a dog had 90% of its spinal cord severed in an injury similar to a stab wound in a human.
Three days after being treated with PEG the dog had regained minimal movement.
Valery Spiridonov (centre) suffers from Werdnig-Hoffman disease and has volunteered to be the first person to undergo a head transplant under Dr. Canavero's hands. Photo: Maxim Zmeyev/REUTERS
After three weeks it could walk, and later wag its tail.
The experiments are in preparation for Dr Canavero's first human patient, Russian program manager Valery Spiridonov, who is suffering from the rare muscular atrophy disorder Werdnig-Hoffman disease.
The 31-year-old volunteered for the transplant and says that he’s willing to risk death to escape his disease.
His transplant will be done in a vegetative state and is set to take place at Harbin Medical University in China.
What happens during the procedure
The two-part procedure is composed of HEAVEN (head anastomosis venture) and Gemini (the subsequent spinal cord fusion).
The whole process involves 36 hours, 150 people (doctors, nurses, technicians, psychologists, and virtual reality engineers), and around $20 million.
According to Dr Canavero, there will be two surgical teams working on the Russian patient at the same time.
One will focus on the Mr Spiridonov, the living patient, while the other will focus on a donor’s body.
The donor will be brain-dead and selected based on height, build, and immunotype.
Valery Spiridonov volunteered to be the first person to undergo a head transplant, is assisted before a news conference in Russia, 2015. Photo: Maxim Zmeyev/REUTERS
Sergio Canavero demonstrates his head transplant technique at a conference in 2015 using a banana to represent the spinal cord. Photo: Supplied
Both patients will be anesthetised and hooked up to breathing machines and electrodes to keep tabs on brain and heart activity.
Then, Mr Spiridonov will have his head nearly frozen — temporarily brain-dead himself.
At this point, attending physicians will drain the blood from his brain, and flush it with a surgery solution.
Tubes will be looped around major arteries and veins to stop blood flow, and then later removed to allow for circulation once the new body is attached.
Then, the most important part of all — cutting both spinal cords.
This will be done with a $200,000 diamond nanoblade, which comes from the University of Texas.
Once Mr Spiridonov’s head is no longer attached to his body, he’ll have to have a new body within one hour.
All the necessary arteries and veins will be reconnected, and theoretically, the new blood flow will re-warm Mr Spiridonov’s head.
To begin the procedure, the body and head will be nearly frozen - temporarily brain-dead - to a temperature where the cells don’t die when deprived of oxygen during surgery. Photo: AP
Eventuall, both spinal cords with a $200,000 diamond nanoblade so the patient's head is no longer attached to his body. Photo: Supplied
From there, the spinal cord segments will be fused in yet another novel procedure, and all severed muscles and skin will be sewn back together as well.
If all goes according to plan, Mr Spiridonov could be up and walking three to six months after surgery.
“If he is going to die,” Dr Canavero says, “he is the only one who can decide.”
The procedure is currently slated to take place late next year and the patient could take 12 months to heal, if they ever do.
