Vietnam prepares for first head transplant in 2017

Vietnam is likely to conduct the first head transplant in 2017, Professor Trinh Hong Son, director of the National Co-ordination Centre for human organ transplants, has said.

Vietnam is likely to conduct the first head transplant in 2017, Professor Trinh Hong Son, director of the National Co-ordination Centre for human organ transplants, has said.

Doctors perform an organ transplant at Hanoi's Germany-Vietnam Hospital.

Speaking at a conference on organ donation and transplant yesterday, Son said international experts would conduct the first-ever head transplant in 2017. After the transplant surgery, Vietnam will invite experts to bring the technique to the country.

He said the most important factor for the surgery was who would donate the head. A donor could be paralysed, but his or her head must be functional.

Son said the country has preparing the personnel for the surgery, with 150 doctors and nurses being trained for two years in this field.

The surgery would be held over two days.

Head transplant surgery is considered to be a complicated and difficult technique. It has been conducted in some animals that managed to survive for some time after the operation.

Vietnam is able to conduct most organ transplants, though the greatest problem is a shortage of organ donors.

Figures from the National Co-ordination Centre showed that the number of people who have registered for organ donation was about 2,350 as of the end of December last year.
As of September 30 last year, about 1,116 kidney transplants, 48 liver transplants, 13 heart transplants and a heart-lung as well as a kidney-marrow transplant have been conducted in Vietnam.