World's First Head Transplant: What's Involved?

Matthew Crocker, a consultant neurosurgeon at St George's Hospital, London, explains exactly what's involved in a planned head transplant that would be the first ever carried out.

[earlycuyler]

I've done this a hundred times on my sisters Barbie dolls! I know it works.

[chancenieland]

Wouldn't this technically be a body transplant?

[herbivorethecarnivore]

For anyone who wants to know how this went, the patient backed out because he had just had an unexpected son and couldn't risk the surgery.

[chandlerplusbass]

Am I the only one who feels like these guys are being super passive-aggressive to one another?

[med]

Doesn't the spinal cord not heal? Isn't that why people stay paralyzed?

[Rito.]

I think one of the biggest risks would be prompted by the brains recognition of nerve, muscle, organ, etc memories. Through life your brain gets used to identified body parts, but if the transplant is successful per say having the head remain alive, the real challenge is for the brain to recognize the new body as new host. Either the brain adapts to move a new finger or send signals to new organs, or it just goes into shock for failing to identify the location of the organs, then shutting down. Transplants of smaller magnitudes are needed. And a strong will patient that is ready for everything and anything anytime.

[theinternetstolemysoulbuti]

once this technology is perfected I want my head attached to a goat

[mr.awesome]

Something tells me that a head transplant is more difficult then unplugging an extension cord from one outlet, and then plugging it into another

[below_average_student]

I wasn’t originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I changed my mind..

[joehernandez]

they should put a Bulls head and connect it to a human body

[bigfloppa]

This is real life JoJo, DIO would be impressed.

[herebybuu]

The doctors after making a real life brain transplant

"Patrick say something patrick!"

[omen]

1. A head. 2 Some needles. 3. Some thread. 4. er... 5. That's it.

[kelsterzlolli]

To be completely honest, I rather die than look like a stranger and I don't think this will work

[RealChiliConQueso]

The lengths some people will go to just to get a little head...

[justinheadley]

I think they can do it. I don’t think the guy would survive too long but that’s the first step to success!

[AncientPurpleDragon]

Funny if he wakes up and they've given him a black man's body...

[DrewGoSomewhereUnknown]

Your literally gonna transfer the whole nervous system, connect the eyes, taste, pain, smell

[odenirongiant]

Wouldn't the "donor" head then become the true person ? In theory couldn't one live indefinitely with your head being removed and the body being replaced with a young one time after time ?

[alphyzqrw]

Doctors need to find a way to make USB port on a human brain so that we could record our dreams in a flash disk and watch it later