Fresh Air Mary Roach On Our Remarkable, Replaceable Bodies
21 snips
Sep 16, 2025 
Mary Roach, a witty science writer and author of Replaceable You, dives into the fascinating world of body part replacement. She discusses the history of prosthetics, sharing stories from ancient to modern practices. Roach explores the ethical dilemmas of using pig organs for transplants and the revolutionary potential of stem cells and 3D printing in regenerative medicine. With humor, she unveils the complex anatomy behind surgical anesthesia and reflects on the wonder of our bodies through her experiences and insights.
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Elective Amputation Sparked The Book
- A reader who opted for elective amputation because of spina bifida inspired Mary Roach's interest in replacements.
- Surgeons resisted removing a functioning foot because of the finality of amputation and ethical reluctance.
Surgery Now Prioritizes Phantom-Pain Prevention
- Modern amputations are planned and nerve-handling techniques reduce phantom limb pain risk.
- Surgeons wrap nerves to give them function and may use drugs before surgery to prevent phantom pain.
Why Pigs Became Transplant Workhorses
- Pigs became the primary research model because their organ size and disease patterns resemble humans.
- Extensive mid-20th-century collaborations with pork research made pigs the go-to species for replacement research.
