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| Zero-gravity surgery 'a success' | Zero-gravity surgery 'a success' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| French doctors say they have carried out a successful operation on a human under "weightless" conditions in an adapted aircraft. | French doctors say they have carried out a successful operation on a human under "weightless" conditions in an adapted aircraft. |
| The trial is being seen as a first step to performing surgery in space. | The trial is being seen as a first step to performing surgery in space. |
| The doctors removed a benign tumour from the arm of a volunteer as their plane made a series of swoops to mimic a reduced-gravity environment. | |
| The medics and patient were strapped down for the procedure which was done inside a hygienic plastic tent. | |
| Specially designed instruments were fitted with magnets to attach them to the metal operating table. | Specially designed instruments were fitted with magnets to attach them to the metal operating table. |
| Click here to see how weightlessness was achieved | Click here to see how weightlessness was achieved |
| 'Feasibility test' | 'Feasibility test' |
| The three-hour flight above south-west France used a modified Airbus A300 known as "Zero-G", which flies parabolic curves that give its passengers 20-second periods of weightlessness. | The three-hour flight above south-west France used a modified Airbus A300 known as "Zero-G", which flies parabolic curves that give its passengers 20-second periods of weightlessness. |
| Now we know that a human being can be operated on in space without too many difficulties Dominique MartinChief surgeon Patient Philippe Sanchot was reportedly administered a local anaesthetic before take-off at 0930 local time (0730 GMT). | Now we know that a human being can be operated on in space without too many difficulties Dominique MartinChief surgeon Patient Philippe Sanchot was reportedly administered a local anaesthetic before take-off at 0930 local time (0730 GMT). |
| The operation took no more than 11 minutes, with 31 zero gravity sequences lasting 22 seconds each. | The operation took no more than 11 minutes, with 31 zero gravity sequences lasting 22 seconds each. |
| Both patient and medical team were trained to cope with this free-fall environment in machines similar to those used by astronauts. | Both patient and medical team were trained to cope with this free-fall environment in machines similar to those used by astronauts. |
| It is the first time such an operation has been carried out on a human being. | It is the first time such an operation has been carried out on a human being. |
| The Zero-G A300 flight gives 20-second periods of weightlessnessChief surgeon Dominique Martin said the operation "went ahead without any particular difficulty". | |
| "We weren't trying to perform technical feats but to carry out a feasibility test," he said, quoted by AFP news agency. | "We weren't trying to perform technical feats but to carry out a feasibility test," he said, quoted by AFP news agency. |
| "Now we know that a human being can be operated on in space without too many difficulties." | "Now we know that a human being can be operated on in space without too many difficulties." |
| With two hours of continuous weightlessness, surgeons could perform an appendectomy, Mr Martin added. | With two hours of continuous weightlessness, surgeons could perform an appendectomy, Mr Martin added. |
| Earlier this year, the team mended an artery in a rat's tail. | Earlier this year, the team mended an artery in a rat's tail. |
| The next phase of the programme will be to carry out an operation using a robot controlled from the ground by satellite. | The next phase of the programme will be to carry out an operation using a robot controlled from the ground by satellite. |
| This experiment should take place within a year, Mr Martin explained. | This experiment should take place within a year, Mr Martin explained. |
| Earthly spin-offs | Earthly spin-offs |
| The trials are part of a long-term project to study the possibility of carrying out surgery during long-distance space flights. | The trials are part of a long-term project to study the possibility of carrying out surgery during long-distance space flights. |
| The patient (L) was administered a local anaesthetic before the flightSurgical team member Professor Pierre Vaida, from Bordeaux Hospital, told the BBC: "The space station today is about 400km from the Earth, so it's very easy to have an astronaut come back in an emergency [to the] ground. | The patient (L) was administered a local anaesthetic before the flightSurgical team member Professor Pierre Vaida, from Bordeaux Hospital, told the BBC: "The space station today is about 400km from the Earth, so it's very easy to have an astronaut come back in an emergency [to the] ground. |
| "When we are out of Earth's gravitational attraction, it takes several days, at least, to come back. So it will be necessary to organise tele-medicine and tele-surgery to be able to take care of astronaut health." | "When we are out of Earth's gravitational attraction, it takes several days, at least, to come back. So it will be necessary to organise tele-medicine and tele-surgery to be able to take care of astronaut health." |
| The researchers say there could also be spin-offs for remote medicine on Earth. | The researchers say there could also be spin-offs for remote medicine on Earth. |
| The equipment could be used for emergencies in confined locations such as caves or in buildings toppled by earthquakes. | The equipment could be used for emergencies in confined locations such as caves or in buildings toppled by earthquakes. |
| Click to return | Click to return |