The first human head transplant, scheduled for December 2017, was delayed. There is currently no exact date for when the surgery will take place, but researcher Sergio Canavero claims it will probably happen in the first half of 2018.
Russian volunteer Valery Spiridonov recently announced he no longer wants to be the subject of the procedure. Sciencr writes that researcher Sergio Canavero spent the last two years preparing this complicated procedure. At present, Spiridonov said he would not be able to go with it, mainly because the doctor can’t promise him that he would be able to walk after the head transplant procedure.
Sergio Canavero said that the plan is still in motion, and the procedure would be performed on a Chinese patient. He also said that he would work with Xiaoping Ren, a doctor at Harbin Medical University, to conduct the procedure in Harbin, China. Although Canavero is criticized by the medical community, he is convinced that the surgery will be a success.
At this time there are no further details on the proof of concept procedure. When the time comes, official news will be announced by Xiaoping’s team.
In a recent announcement, Canavero said he managed to successfully severe and reconnect the spinal cord of 9 mice.
There were also rumors that he successfully transplanted the head of a monkey.
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