World's First Double-Arm Transplant

quakeslut writes "The BBC has the scoop on the first double-arm transplant. Amazingly, after only two weeks or so, the recipient says that it already feels "as if these are my own hands." Please, keep the "give that guy a hand, or two!!" jokes to a minimum."

Comments

whole body transplant

[falsification]

We're getting close to the point where most of the body can be transplanted. We already have seen face transplants, skin transplants, hair transplants (?), cornea transplants, arm transplants (and thus, presumably leg transplants), internal organ transplants, etc.

The brain is just about all that's left.

Re:whole body transplant

[pauljlucas]

The brain is just about all that's left.

But it's not just another body part since it's where the essense of the individual resides. A "brain transplant" is really a "whole body transplant" since the person is tied to the brain, i.e., the brain (and the person) gets a new body, not the body gets a new brain.

To have a real "brain transplant" would require that one's memories, neural patterns, etc, be transferred to the new brain. However, since the way a person is is tied to the way neurons are physically connected, transfer would be impossible snce the entire new brain would have to be "rewired." It would probably be easier to "grow" a new brain cloning the original structure. Even so, this is many years off.

The Stranger

[metamatic]

You can try using your left hand, sure. Unfortunately, that whole "if you use your left hand it feels like someone else is doing it" thing is about as medically accurate as the one about hairy palms.

From which we deduce that anyone seriously suggesting "use your left hand, it feels like someone else is doing it", has never actually had someone else do it.