Registry of Implants - Current and Future
Greetings, all. I am a plastic surgeon specializing in peripheral nerve, hand, and microsurgery. I believe that an increased trend towards the integration of humans and technology is inevitable and I would like to play a part in helping to bring about "elective" implantation of non-medically-necessary 'biohacking' devices in the US.
In order for this to happen, serious discussions need to take place within the medical community about the safety of such diverse and untested implants that may be (or soon become) available, as well as the ethics of physicians (whose role has traditionally been to treat the sick) working to give preternatural abilities to otherwise healthy people.
I would like to initiate these discussions by publishing some articles in plastic surgery journals. To do this, it would be helpful to give the readership an idea and analysis of what active 'biohackers' are currently doing to themselves, or at least, what they are most interested in having done.
So, you all, the community, can help me by completing an entry in this registry. Now, I am well aware that 'registry' may be a sensitive term amongst a community of people that are highly likely to have a detailed knowledge of the X-men.... but rest assured, this is simply an anonymous listing and reporting of exactly what implants people have, why they got them, what benefits they provide, satisfaction, complications, and desires for future implants. Your names or screen names will not be collected or published.
Anyone who wants to help, please answer in the format below to help data collection (you can also respond with additional subjective comments if you wish). Also, please only report implants that have some electrical, magnetic, or functional non-medical component. For instance, no non-magnetic piercings, no medical joint replacements, breast implants, etc.
Implant #1
In order for this to happen, serious discussions need to take place within the medical community about the safety of such diverse and untested implants that may be (or soon become) available, as well as the ethics of physicians (whose role has traditionally been to treat the sick) working to give preternatural abilities to otherwise healthy people.
I would like to initiate these discussions by publishing some articles in plastic surgery journals. To do this, it would be helpful to give the readership an idea and analysis of what active 'biohackers' are currently doing to themselves, or at least, what they are most interested in having done.
So, you all, the community, can help me by completing an entry in this registry. Now, I am well aware that 'registry' may be a sensitive term amongst a community of people that are highly likely to have a detailed knowledge of the X-men.... but rest assured, this is simply an anonymous listing and reporting of exactly what implants people have, why they got them, what benefits they provide, satisfaction, complications, and desires for future implants. Your names or screen names will not be collected or published.
Anyone who wants to help, please answer in the format below to help data collection (you can also respond with additional subjective comments if you wish). Also, please only report implants that have some electrical, magnetic, or functional non-medical component. For instance, no non-magnetic piercings, no medical joint replacements, breast implants, etc.
Implant #1
- Years/months implanted
- Location of implant; please be as anatomically specific as possible. If it is in the hand, please say whether it is on the palm side (volar), the backside (dorsal). For hand or finger, please indicate whether it is on the 'thumb-side' (radial) or the 'pinky-side' (ulnar) relative to the long axis of your finger. Also please try to describe whether the implant is in bone, muscle, subcutaneous tissue, or what.
- Exact nature/type of implant
- Why did you get this implant?
- What benefits do you experience from having this implant?
- Did you place this implant yourself? If not, who placed it for you and what type of training did they have?
- What complications did you experience after getting this implant (please do not list pain lasting less than 2 weeks)? Infection? Extrusion of the implant? Chronic pain? Did not experience expected benefit? Any type of unanticipated injury to important anatomical structures?
- Would you get this implant again if you could go back in time?
Implant #2
- Repeat process above
Future-desired implants:
- Please state if you want more of the same type of implants you already have, or if you want the same implants but elsewhere in the body
- What implants are you planning to get in the near future?
- Will you do this yourself? Do you have any surgical training? If not, who will implant it?
- Otherwise, this section can be more free form, but please only list things that have a reasonable chance of existing based on currently available technologies. Also, please don't list any biologically based enhancement unless you are a molecular biologist and have a reasonable understanding of how possible it is to actually implement any of these things. For instance: "I want gene therapy to give me glow in the dark skin" is not realistic.
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Comments
The delineation between medical and non medical modifications doesn't make sense imho, especially when you have breast implants listed with joint replacement. Breast implants totally are a functional non medical component. Or what about @DirectorX, who implanted the wireless headphones partially because he is losing his sight? Does this qualify as functional and medical or ...? I feel like making these distinctions is kinda just perpetuating the concept of "things done by professionals" vs "things grinders do". I agree that a standard piercing is not worth adding to the list, but for other things if you are looking to make modifications as a whole more accepted in the medical community, shouldn't it all just be "implants and modifications"?
Some of us have actually started to do lab testing on the various coatings and properties of the implants. Let us know what kind of information you might be looking for if any...
**Click here to give your input on the implant registry**
I'm beyond happy to see a surgeon reach out to our community. To my knowledge you are the first to do so. As you mentioned in your post, the narratives occurring in medicine about these kinds of things are limited, if not avoided all together. Anyway, I'm glad someone is seeing the potential.
I have very strong opinions on this as well as recommendations. I'll send you my number in a private message.
The list of procedures and implants that are on my wish list is staggering. I am forced to stay within the realm of subdermal implants which can be performed by piercing professionals due to costs, but if I was funds unlimited I have a good list of invasive procedures ranging from deep brain stimulation to elaborate facial prosthetics and more. I've also devised ways to circumvent our limit the fda involvement in those devices and reduce legal liability for surgeons.
I think some of the technologies available today which can potentially become implanted are so important and can offer such an advantage to those that get them, that the potential for a social rift between the rich and poor, or civilian / military, or any other axis of access you can think of is something to be considered carefully. most of us on this forum are fighting to make sure that that never happens.
welcome to the forum. I hope to talk more!