It is either science fiction or a plot from a horror movie, but a neurosurgeon said head transplants could be possible by the year 2030. Transplant surgery has come on leaps and bounds in the last few decades. Organ transplants are commonplace and this past decade has seen face transplants. The next decade could see whole heads being transplanted. Neurosurgeon Bruce Mathew explained why he believes this is possible. He was actually working with author Michael J Lee on a science fiction novel. He said: "Initially, our intention was just to brainstorm an idea and it seemed rather silly, but then I realised, it actually isn't. If you transplant the brain and spinal cord together, it's not impossible."
頭部移植,這要么是科幻小說,要么是恐怖電影里的情節(jié),但一位神經(jīng)外科醫(yī)生表示,到2030年,這將成為可能。移植手術(shù)在過去的幾十年里有了長足的發(fā)展。器官移植很常見,在過去的十年里也出現(xiàn)了面部移植。在接下來的十年里還可能有頭部移植。神經(jīng)外科醫(yī)生布魯斯·馬修解釋了為什么他認為這是可能的。事實上,他在與科幻小說作家Michael J Lee合作他表示:“起初,我們的目的只是頭腦風(fēng)暴一個想法,而且這個想法很傻,但后來我意識到,其實并不傻。如果你同時移植大腦和脊髓,這不是不可能的。”
Doctor Matthew, 63, has performed over 10,000 operations. He claims that head transplants would only be possible if the head was accompanied by the whole of its spinal cord. Advancements in nerve and spinal cord surgery, robotics and stem cell transplants mean it could be possible to attach an entire spinal cord and head to another body before 2030. Dr Matthew continued: "The thought of keeping the spinal cord in one piece has always been totally daunting, but now with modern technology you can do most things." Matthew also believes that consciousness would also move with the head and spinal cord from one body to another. The technology could treat spinal cord injuries and diseases like muscular dystrophy.
63歲的馬修醫(yī)生已經(jīng)做了1萬多場手術(shù)。他聲稱,只有將整個脊髓和頭部一起移植,頭部移植才有可能實現(xiàn)。神經(jīng)和脊髓手術(shù)、機器人技術(shù)和干細胞移植方面的進展意味著在2030年之前,將整個脊髓和頭移植到另一個身體上是可能的。馬修醫(yī)生還說道:“將脊髓完整保留的想法總是讓人望而生畏,但是有了現(xiàn)代科技,大部分都是可以實現(xiàn)的。”馬修還認為意識也會隨著頭部和脊髓從一個身體移動到另一個身體。這項技術(shù)可以治療脊髓損傷和肌肉萎縮癥等疾病。