BEIJING, Jan 21 — A monkey head transplant was successfully performed at a university in China, claims Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero. The experiment was carried out at Harbin Medical University in China, reported the New Scientist.

The researchers reportedly connected the blood supply between the head and the new body, but did not connect the spinal cord.

“The monkey fully survived the procedure without any neurological injury of whatever kind,” New Scientist quoted Dr Canavero as saying. The monkey was kept alive for only 20 hours following the procedure for ethical reasons.

Other techniques to aid recovery could include spinal cord stimulation and the use of a negative pressure device to encourage the nerves to fuse, the New Scientist reported.

According to the New Scientist, Dr Canavero is seeking funds to perform a head transplant on 31-year-old Russian patient Valery Spriridonov, who suffers from a genetic muscle-wasting disease. — Reuters

Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero claimed that he had successfully perform a head transplant surgery on a monkey, and is seeking funds to perform it on a human subject. — Reuters pic