Here are six observations:
1. Although the monkey survived, Dr. Canavero’s team killed it afterward for ethical reasons.
2. Dr. Canavero performed head transplant procedures on monkeys and human cadavers.
3. He also claims he has fixed severed spinal cords in mice.
4. After the supposed success of this monkey procedure, Dr. Canavero argues he would be able to successfully transplant a human head on a donor body by the end of 2017.
5. The most difficult part of the procedure involves fusing the spinal cord of a human. Dr. Canavero and his team have claimed to solve this problem by cutting the cord and using polyethylene to preserve cell membranes.
6. Dr. Canavero hopes to receive enough funding to perform the first human head transplant on Russian patient, Valery Spriridonov.
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