Surgical procedures

[#1]

Some people undergo surgery for cosmetic reasons and whilst there may be a valid reason for this in some cases in others it's about some change that most would regard as unnecessary.

I wonder if at some stage in the future this will extend to major parts of the body such as limbs where some might consider an artificial arm or legs would be of more use that what they have now ?

Sounds horrific but some of the unnecessary surgery people undergo now sounds horrific yet they undergo it.

What else are we likely to see in the future ?

[#2]

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gleneagles wrote:

I wonder if at some stage in the future this will extend to major parts of the body such as limbs where some might consider an artificial arm or legs would be of more use that what they have now ?

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Do some reading up on the Grinder/Biohacker, and transhumanist movements...

[#3]

I suspect we'll start seeing organs being grown to order to replace current organs or organs that have been previously removed such as gall bladders and spleens - all of which nature designed to perform a task even though you can live without them.

When you think about it, as long as you can keep the internals ticking then you're brain can live on for as long as possible. If you have cancer for instance and its invading your body aggressively then in theory if you could remove large parts of the internals and replace them with new you've effectively got a clean slate. Of course doing that all in one operation would be one hell of a surgery (and almost certainly not possible in our lifetimes) but one day it may well be doable. In fact given todays latest medical breakthroughs (operating on cold bodies while dead for instance) you could in theory actually give someone the general anaesthetic, stop the heart, open them up, take everything out, put it all back, close them up and restart the heart - in theory. That doesn't of course take into account things like nerves and stuff.

So yeah.. organs to order and "consumables" will be the next thing in my book.

[#4]

After losing the use of my left leg due to a double stroke should I get another one?

[#5]

If the grown or constructed organs and limbs were superior to what we are born with, and the surgery was affordable, I would not hesitate to modify my person. The only people who wouldn't, would be the troglodytes for all manner of nonsensical and overly emotive reasons with no rational basis.
But like most cosmetic and transplant surgeries, I wouldn't rush to be the first. Never be the first. Being first in something like that is being a guinea pig. I would wait several years until they had all the kinks ironed out.

[#6]

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bjallenby wrote:

But like most cosmetic and transplant surgeries, I wouldn't rush to be the first. Never be the first. 

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Very wise. The early bird gets the worm...

but the second mouse gets the cheese.

[#7]

Artificial joints have given a new lease of life to folk who would be destined for the scrap heap