Valery Spiridonov: head transplant. Who will become a donor?

The only world celebrity of a small city of Vladimir is Valery Spiridonov. The transplantation of the head, to which the young man agreed, made him very popular. Perhaps, about the 30-year-old programmer wrote all the leading publications of the planet. Although with a specialty they were a little mistaken. Coding never really worried about the young man. Three-dimensional graphics - this is what Valery Spiridonov does. The transplantation of the head, which he has, in fact, is not. Rather, it is a transplantation of the body.

Disease

Why did the young man need this complicated operation? Why the last few months the world's media is full of such a headline "Valery Spiridonov - head transplant"?

Biography of a young man begins with the fact that he was born in 1984 in Vladimir. In 2006, Spiridonov graduated from the Stoletov VSTU, becoming a specialist in computer technology.

Valery did not stand on his own feet, not once in his life. The reason for this was the amputation of Verding-Hoffman - a rare genetic disease that does not allow the muscles of the body to develop normally. They become weaker and become non-functional. A three-wheeled bicycle - that's what Valery Spiridonov used in his childhood instead of a wheelchair (a head transplant was impossible at that time). But twenty years ago his leg muscles atrophied. And the hands can not lift anything heavier than two hundred grams. Therefore, the hero of this article always communicates on the mobile through a speakerphone, putting it on his right knee. To keep the balance in the armchair, Valery has to throw one leg to the other. The weakening body and the inner determination to give illness to the last battle made the young man known to the whole world.

Schedule

Every morning Spiridonov wakes up at about eight o'clock. For the whole day, his "fused" with the chair body is not very tired. A head is enough to restore 5-6 hours of sleep. It happens that Valery sees himself in the night dreams absolutely healthy.

Although he could wake up later. At work he is not expected to nine, because the projects of Spiridonov are piece-work and do not require personal presence in the office. Only in days of collective meetings he adjusts to the general schedule, and usually with the majority of colleagues Valery communicates on a Skype. In general, the daily routine of Spiridonov depends on the availability and employment of voluntary assistants. There are several such Valera. Someone helps Spiridonov get out of bed, someone puts him in a bath, etc. The satisfaction of all his needs is connected with other people.

But Valery's main assistant is his mother. While he reads news on the smartphone since morning, she is preparing breakfast for him. Victoria Viktorovna really wants his son to rest more. After all, the hero of this article allows himself to relax only once in two months. He does this because inactivity is the shortest path to apathy. And in his position it is very easy to fall into it. Therefore, Spiridonov prefers to work. Work is for him the highest priority.

Start of the study

18 months is the period during which Valery Spiridonov participates in the experiment to fight for his life. Head transplantation - for a long time for him not news. He regularly spoke on this subject with a surgeon from a distant Turin named Sergio Canavero. Just until a certain time, only close people knew about it.

Limitation

Valery practically does not leave his own apartment. On its low table are two monitors. For work usually one is enough, and on the second the young man opens windows with news tapes, messengers, social networks or simply looks at the next lecture on 3D-graphics. Spiridonov is not a recluse, but he is watching the surrounding world, mainly through the windows of his own balcony. In warm weather, he periodically goes there to warm up.

Active life position

Valery Spiridonov is in the youth regional Duma. He also helps one of the deputies of the parliament. Before that Valery did the same for a member of the Public Chamber in Vladimir. Together with Nikita Berenov (best friend) Spiridonov went to Seliger. There, Valery really liked it. Beautiful girls, interesting lecturers, bonfires in the evenings. Although his friend initially did not want to attend the forum because of the political background. As it turned out, everything on Seliger was different.

In press

Sometimes they write about Valera in Vladimir newspapers. This is usually due to another raid by a group of wheelchair users. Together with the assistants, they check the level of accessibility of the urban environment for people with disabilities. The route is planned in advance. And when the group moves from point A to point B, its members in passing try to go to the state institution, then to the pharmacy, then to the store. Local TV channels sometimes cover such raids. The last few months, the Vladimir publications publish news with only one headline: "Valery Spiridonov - head transplant." Photos of the hero of this article are usually displayed on the main page.

For five years of public activity Spiridonov was accustomed to publicity and increased attention. The disabled public activist became the center of attention of a small provincial town. He always ponders public speeches. Sometimes even writes them to the recorder for the purpose of subsequent analysis and work on the errors.

Health status

All his life Valery spent in a wheelchair with electric control. He never rose to his feet. A sturdy nylon belt connects it with a stroller, supporting the torso in an upright position. Although in the case of Spiridonov this is not entirely possible. Valera's spine is twisted in the form of a question mark, which bends to the right. But his bones are not affected by the disease. It's all about gravity. Muscles are unable to support the spine, and under gravity, it simply bends.

Crucial moment

June 22, 2013 is the date when the hero of this article learned that it is possible to perform an operation to transplant a person's head. Valery Spiridonov breakfasted in the kitchen that day in front of the TV. He was drinking black coffee. The words of the presenter hardly penetrated Valery's mind. The young man was completely focused on the plastic cup. He took it by the handle, brought it to his mouth, but could not tilt the mug properly for a sip. So I had to throw my head back and pour coffee right into my throat. A weak neck did not allow the head to immediately return to its original position. Valery drank to the bottom, put the cup on the table and sharply moved his whole body forward. Only then he managed to give the vertebrae a vertical position. At some point, through the tambourine of the announcer, he heard: "It is possible to transplant the human head." Valery Spiridonov completely switched attention to the TV.

A head transplant is possible!

From the screen broadcast Sergio Canavero (Italian neurosurgeon). He said that the operation on a person's head transplantation would soon become a routine affair. Everything necessary for such an experiment he has. After all, limbs have been sewed for many years. A head is, in fact, the same thing. There are several nuances and difficulties in the process of conducting the operation, but all of them will be resolved in the near future.

Readiness for experiment

Valery approached the matter in detail. Spiridonov ate breakfast. Then, with the fingers of his left hand, he dipped the joystick manipulator of the stroller and went to his room. Fifteen minutes later Valery already wrote a message to the Italian neurosurgeon, declaring his readiness for experiments.

Operation Details

According to Canavero's calculations, the transplantation will last 36 hours. At the same time, it will involve about 150 specialists (both doctors and nurses). The total cost of the operation will be approximately 10 million euros.

Valery and his donor will simultaneously cut their heads from the spinal cord with an acute scalpel. Next, the patient's head is connected to the new body using polyethylene glycol. This substance "glues" both ends of the spinal cord. Then surgeons will sew blood vessels and muscles. Next Spiridonov will be put into a coma for a month. This is necessary in order for the patient to be completely immobilized during the healing process.

Theoretically, after awakening, Valery will be able to move, feel his own face and speak in his own voice. To avoid rejection, he will be injected with strong immunosuppressants. In case of successful outcome of the operation, thousands of disabled and paralyzed people will have a hope for a full life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we will make some important additions. In the world media sometimes the news appears with something like this: "Valery Spiridonov - transplantation of the head: who will be the donor?". At the moment, a specific person is not defined. The only thing that is known for sure is that the body will be received from a donor with a dead brain. In all other respects it will be absolutely healthy. A person who has an accident may become a donor. Or it will be a prisoner who received a death sentence.

Many people who have superficially got acquainted with the news covered in this article often ask the question: "How was Valery Spiridonov's head transplantation?" In fact, no one has yet conducted it. The experiment is under preparation. Valery Spiridonov's head transplant operation is scheduled for 2017. And it will be held only if Dr. Canavero receives the appropriate permission.