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| First zero-gravity human surgery | First zero-gravity human surgery |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A team of French doctors has been taking part in the first attempted operation on a human under "weightless" conditions in an adapted aircraft. | A team of French doctors has been taking part in the first attempted operation on a human under "weightless" conditions in an adapted aircraft. |
| It is hoped the trial will be a first step to performing surgery in space. | It is hoped the trial will be a first step to performing surgery in space. |
| The doctors planned to remove a benign tumour from the arm of a volunteer as their plane made a series of swoops to mimic a reduced-gravity environment. | The doctors planned to remove a benign tumour from the arm of a volunteer as their plane made a series of swoops to mimic a reduced-gravity environment. |
| The surgeons were working strapped to the sides of the plane while the patient was held inside a plastic tent. | The surgeons were working strapped to the sides of the plane while the patient was held inside a 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. |
| Earthly spin-offs | Earthly spin-offs |
| 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. |
| The patient was reportedly administered a local anaesthetic before take-off, at 0930 local time (0730 GMT). | |
| French TV said that the operation took no more than 11 minutes, with 31 zero gravity sequences lasting 22 seconds each. The flight took just over three hours. | |
| It is not yet known whether the operation was successful. | It is not yet known whether the operation was successful. |
| 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. |
| "Since February we have been rehearsing this operation on the ground and in the plane. It is all crystal clear in our heads," said chief surgeon Dominique Martin, quoted by AFP news agency, before the flight began. | "Since February we have been rehearsing this operation on the ground and in the plane. It is all crystal clear in our heads," said chief surgeon Dominique Martin, quoted by AFP news agency, before the flight began. |
| It was the first time such an operation has been tried on a human being. | It was the first time such an operation has been tried on a human being. |
| The French doctors have already operated on a rat in zero-gravity | The French doctors have already operated on a rat in zero-gravity |
| Earlier this year, Mr Martin and his team mended a artery in a rat's tail 0.5mm in diameter. | Earlier this year, Mr Martin and his team mended a artery in a rat's tail 0.5mm in diameter. |
| It is part of a long-term project to study the possibility of carrying out surgery during long-distance space flights, using robots in the spacecraft, guided by doctors on Earth via a satellite link. | It is part of a long-term project to study the possibility of carrying out surgery during long-distance space flights, using robots in the spacecraft, guided by doctors on Earth via a satellite link. |
| Surgical 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. | Surgical 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. |