Dr. Sergio Canavero, an Italian neurosurgeon, unveiled his plans regarding the first head transplant, to 30-year-old Russian Valery Spiridonov, during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgeons in Maryland, reported Al-Jazeera.
Canavero believes he has a 90 percent chance of success for the head transplant, slated to happen before the end of 2017. Spiridonov, the patient for the controversial procedure, suffers from Werdnig-Hoffmann, which is a muscle-wasting disease.
"Of course, there is a margin of risk, I cannot deny that," said Canavero. "I made the announcement only when I was pretty sure I could do it."
Spiridonov and Canavero have been in regular contact through video chats, and believes that it would be the best option for Spiridonov.
"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," said Spiridonov, reported DailyMail. "I am not going crazy here and rushing to cut off my head, believe me. The surgery will take place only when all believe that the success is 99 percent possible."
Canavero said that few people with Werdnig-Hoffmann disease reach adulthood like Spiridonov. "He is a brave man, and he is in horrible condition," said the doctor. "You have to understand, for him, Western medicine has nothing to offer. Western medicine has failed."
The $15 million operation will be done by about 100 surgeons for 36 hours and could take place in the U.S. or China.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Raymond Dieter, a former president of the International College of Surgeons, said that one of the biggest concerns for the operation is keeping the brain alive during the surgery. "We've seen several professors criticizing Dr. Canavero's work but, you know, there was criticism for the first heart transplant as well and now it's commonplace," said Dieter.
Canavero is currently preparing himself "not only scientifically, but also psychologically" in order to ensure the success of the operation.
"This is a frontier, the final frontier. It's not space. This is it because it has implications that go well beyond religion, culture, the future, everything," said Canavero.
