From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris) Subject: Re: need info about transplantation of whole head. Date: 29 Apr 1998 Newsgroups: sci.med In <6i4l2q$889$2@news.HanQ.net> bbs <bbs@net.kitel.co.kr> writes: >I saw an news that a transplantation team succeed in transplanting whole head of a monkey. Is it true? have you heard about this? I want to know exactly whaat was successful and what wasn't at that experience. < A doctor named Robert White, working in the 1970's (I think) managed to cut the head off one monkey and connect up the arteries to the head of another. The experiment was successful in that the head woke up, looked around by moving it's eyes, and did indeed bite off the end of one researcher's finger, when the finger was stuck into its mouth. But such "preparations" don't (can't) connect any nerves, so the head has no nervous connection with the body (like a quadruplegic). It cannot even breathe on its own. Also, of course, the neck has been broken and the spine is in two pieces, so nothing can be moved (it's like one of those neck boards you see in emergencies, but worse). Naturally there are limits to how long you can keep a quadruplegic monkey alive, and I don't think anybody tried for more than a few hours. No point. In a human, you might be able to save a quadruplegic like Christopher Reeves, who can't breathe for himself, by doing a transplant of the head to another body (suppose Reeves got cancer which hadn't spread to his head). And the result wouldn't be much different than the quality of life he has now (after the spine bones healed). And he'd have to take anti-rejection drugs, as for any multi-organ recipient. But for anybody else, but somebody like Reeve, the cost in quality of life might not be worth it. Dr. White wants to try it, reportadly. Eventually, he (or somebody like him) will do it. I see nothing ethically wrong with it, if paid for privately. As to whether or not government should pick up the tab for such a thing, at taxpayer expense-- well, that's another matter. But that's a hard question in any case. You already (as taxpayer) pay for artificial valves to be put in people who give themselves endocarditis from IV drug abuse. And new livers for alcoholics. That money could have gone for some other medical care. Pap smears for poor women. Vaccines for kids. Artificial hearts for 20 year olds with viral cardiomyopathy. The list is endless. Steve Harris, M.D. From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris) Newsgroups: sci.med Subject: Re: need info about transplantation of whole head. Date: 29 Apr 1998 12:41:55 GMT In <0jKaTVAIZvR1Ewwi@dial.pipex.com> Ken Tough <ken@objectech.co.uk> writes: >Steven B. Harris <sbharris@ix.netcom.com> wrote: > >> A doctor named Robert White, working in the 1970's (I think) managed >>to cut the head off one monkey and connect up the arteries to the head >>of another. The experiment was successful in that the head woke up, >>looked around by moving it's eyes, and did indeed bite off the end of >>one researcher's finger, when the finger was stuck into its mouth. > >From this, and Anonymous's posted article, it sounds like the >original head of the body-donor remained attached (to "drive" >the body--breathing, etc). Is that correct? Nope. Breathing was driven by ventilator. Just as for Chris Reeves. The head of the donor body was detached, and out of luck. Liberte! Fraternate! Egalite! It is a far, far better rest I go to... Steve Harris, M.D. |