Ren Xiaoping has performed the head transplant successfully on mice. (Photo : Reuters)
In as little as two years' time, a successful human head transplant may take place, as Ren Xiaoping, a professor at Harbin Medical University in Heilongjiang Province, along with Italian physician Sergio Canavero, works toward making the procedure possible.
The surgical procedure is called Allogenic Head and Body Reconstruction. It involves transplanting a healthy human body, most likely donated by a brain dead person, to a person with a healthy brain with a damaged body.
"It is impossible to give an exact date as the conditions are not yet ready for clinical trials for the operation," said Ren.
Canavero told the Xinhua News Agency, China's official press agency, in August that he will partner with Ren to attempt the procedure.
According to Ren, Allogenic Head and Body Reconstruction is "one of the most cutting-edge technologies in the medical field and needs the support of a whole team consisting of experts with a range of expertise."
However, Ren stressed that the project is still at least two years away. This assumes proper funding and the backing of mature technologies and expert teams.
Ren said that, if successful, the procedure could bring significant changes to humankind, saving patients whose bodies are in critical condition.
"If a man with an aging body can replace his body with a young and healthy body, his aging brain will become younger with the new body, meaning longer life for the man," said Ren.
Valery Spiridonov, a computer scientist from Russia suffering from muscular dystrophy, has agreed to become the first-ever patient for the surgery.
In 2013, Ren successfully transplanted the head of a mouse to the body of another mouse.
According to Li Wei, a transplant surgeon at the General Hospital of Armed Police Forces, there are many technical problems that come with such a procedure.
Li claims that, at present, it is impossible to do the necessary repairs on damaged spinal nerves. The transplant also has to deal with a conjunction of neurons, blood vessels and muscles.
There are also ethical issues to deal with, such as the identities of patients.
"Who will the person be after receiving the body of another?" said Li.
