Could the Feddies heal Vader?

[Bug-Eyed Earl]

Based on what you know of Federation medical technology (I know very little), do you think it would be possible for their tech to get Vader off of his "iron lung?"

[Darth Garden Gnome]

If bacta can' do it, nothing can. Nothing in the ST galaxy, anyways.

[Alyeska]

If bacta can' do it, nothing can. Nothing in the ST galaxy, anyways.

In ST you can transplant a lung from one species to another or synthetically create new limbs.

[Darth Garden Gnome]

In ST you can transplant a lung from one species to another or synthetically create new limbs.

Really now? Never heard of any of that. My experience with SF medics is to spray somebody with those little hypo things.

However I think Vaders damage was a little more extensive than lungs. (From EU sources)He did fall in a pit of lava after all.

[Ender]

Right after the injuries? Maybe. We won't know the total damage until episode 3. Could be a gradual accumulation of stuff over the years.

By the time of ANH? No. Too long after the fact.

[Crown]

The real pitty is that some SW-EU med-tech could have healed Vader, ref: Tales of the bounty hunters, genetically growing a replacement lung inside a bounty hunter since cloning a new one would have been illegal.

[Yogi]

Transplants can be done if a sutibale genetic doner is found, and since Vader's human it can't be hard to find. The reason they couldn't do it to Neelix is because the Talaxian lung is extremely complex.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Based on what you know of Federation medical technology (I know very little), do you think it would be possible for their tech to get Vader off of his "iron lung?"

The problem is, Vader's injuries are extremely complex. He was either splattered in molten metal or stone, briefly dipped in it, or ended up very close to it without protective gear for long amounts of time.

The nature of his injuries are discussed more fully here:

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/injuries.html

Glancing through Saxton's page, it's clear that Vader suffered quite a litany of injuries. He had grievious spinal injuries (which would've made him a quadruplegic, and more importantly, unable to breathe unaided, without his cybernetic circuitry.) Regrowing an organ would probably be trivial to us within the next century or two. But the neural connections required to work the muscles in order to get the lungs to do anything useful would be a bit trickier. And the ability to take out and put in organs is well within the capability of Starfleet medical personnel.

However, Starfleet might possibly be able to replace Vader's spinal cord, at least starting in TNG-era Trek. There is one episode (name somebody??) where Worf has his spinal cord crushed by a falling cargo container. In a risky operation, Crusher grows a new spinal cord for Worf, and implants it in him. However, the operation had, in simulation, a depressingly high failure rate.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Remember guys that Vader's spinal cord was also severed, making him a quadraplegic.

[Yogi]

In a Voyager episode (Emanations) they cut out a brain tumor from a completely alien species and re-grow the tissue. As a furthur note of interest, this alien was brain dead for some time beforehand.

[Darth Wong]

In a Voyager episode (Emanations) they cut out a brain tumor from a completely alien species and re-grow the tissue. As a furthur note of interest, this alien was brain dead for some time beforehand.

Most aliens in Voyager are brain-dead.

Anyway, regarding the spinal cord problem, the ST surgery nearly killed Worf. I don't know if someone would want to take his chances on such a dangerous surgery, particularly since Worf's miraculous survival would not have been as likely if most of the rest of his body was mangled too.

[Lord Poe]

Sure I think Trek science could cure Vader. I also believe that SW science could have cured Vader as well. We won't know the reason Vader didn't take advantage of this, or was blocked from taking advantage of this, until Episode 3.

[Darth Fanboy]

After watching some ST surgeons nearly botch a "routine" operation on Picard elaier tonight on TNN I can understand why Vader wouldn't want the Fed surgeons operating on him. (The same episode where LaForge is Kidnapped by those reatarded aliens who steal tech, Pakkeds? We want to be smart!)

I wonder what effect a limb or organ replacement would have on a Jedi, would his powers be fdampened? Maybe that's why Anakin Skywalker opted for a cybernetic enhancement rather than a regenerated limb after AOTC.

[Slartibartfast]

However, Starfleet might possibly be able to replace Vader's spinal cord, at least starting in TNG-era Trek. There is one episode (name somebody??) where Worf has his spinal cord crushed by a falling cargo container. In a risky operation, Crusher grows a new spinal cord for Worf, and implants it in him. However, the operation had, in simulation, a depressingly high failure rate.

The operation didn't just have a high failure rate, it was completely new and untested. It required redundant vital systems as they had said before.

[Jorgasnarova]

Could Federation medical technology heal Darth Vader?

Nuts, I get the impression that Republic/Imperial med tech could heal Vader.

Bionic limb replacements, check, we've seen that. Accelerated healing cum tissue regeneration via immersion in liquid bacta, a cinch.

It is clear from looking at the "Injuries of Darth Vader" website that our favorite Sith Lord is a walking trainwreck of injuries.

I have my own personal suspicions --possibly to be born out by Ep3 when it finally comes out-- that Vader's cyber-augmentations were forced upon him by the Emperor.

One could argue that tissue regeneration and transplants of natural or artificial organs and nerves could completely heal Vader, after some months or even years of intensive recuperation and physical therapy.

Having his head minion and go-fer incapacitated for that length of time might have been unacceptable to Palpatine/Darth Sidious.

The head-to-toe bionic re-build ultimately used on Darth Vader may have been a cheap-quick-and-dirty way to get him operational again as rapidly as possible. If so, this opens up some obvious potential story points.

One, since so little of him is still flesh-and-blood, Anakin/Vader may have felt emotionally divorced from humanity, which would have made his conversion to the Dark Side that much easier.

Two, having the powerful and headstrong Vader dependent upon a mobile life support system might have been a very simple way of guaranteeing Vader's obedience....hard to say "no" to the Emperor if Palpatine literally has Vader's off-switch in his pocket.

[His Divine Shadow]

And the ability to take out and put in organs is well within the capability of Starfleet medical personnel.

Yeah and today and in SW too.

Nevertheless there's no reason why Vader could not have gotten new cloned lungs, unless there is some other complications we are unaware of, which there likely where, or if the method was simply banned.

However, Starfleet might possibly be able to replace Vader's spinal cord, at least starting in TNG-era Trek. There is one episode (name somebody??) where Worf has his spinal cord crushed by a falling cargo container. In a risky operation, Crusher grows a new spinal cord for Worf, and implants it in him. However, the operation had, in simulation, a depressingly high failure rate.

I don't see why that would be neccesary, Vader's spinal cord works now thanks to cyborg implants.

[Sir Sirius]

In Voyager: "Threshold" the Holo-Doc is able to restore Paris and Janeway back to their original form after they have "evolved" in to salamaders and very little of their DNA is left. Dumbest Trek episode ever, but still quite impressive.
If the Holo-Doc can reconstruct Paris and Janeway from salamanders I see no reason why he couldn't rebuild Anakin back the way he was, no matter how extensive the damages were.

[His Divine Shadow]

That really is the stupidest thing I've ever heard, given that if they can do that, then they ought to be able to do just about anything within the realms of medical science.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

No. His spinal column is still made up of metal. The only ST episode where they tried to repair one, Worf DIED. The only reason he came back was super Klingon redundant systems (they must really suck in battle).

[His Divine Shadow]

No. His spinal column is still made up of metal.

Good for him, it works doesn't it? and it's more durable.

[Mr Bean]

Ok lets see so lets total it up

Basicly 1 Complete arm, One Partial, One intact head, 2/3 of a Torso, And nothing below the belt at all(And a good 1/3 as I mentioned) gone from above that

Keep in mind, he has no digestive track, No stomach, No kindies, No Liver, none of those vital organs below the typical human's belly-button area

And frankly that kill the avarage person outright but Vadar managed to Survive

I belive the augmentations are nessary to keep him alive at all(Remeber no Digestive Track? He can't even eat mush)

[RedImperator]

If that's the case, then Vader is little more than a droid with a human brain.

[Zoink]

I belive the augmentations are nessary to keep him alive at all(Remeber no Digestive Track? He can't even eat mush)

When I read that this is what popped into mind:

When Vader said that the power of the "Death Star was insiginificant next to the power of the force", and Admiral Motti counters with "Don't try to scare us with your sorcerer ways....", Motti should have instead opted for a personal attack: "This from a guy who can't even eat mush."

That would have been more stylish Maybe I'll email George and he can work it into a line for Jar Jar in Episode 3.

[NecronLord]

No. His spinal column is still made up of metal.

Good for him, it works doesn't it? and it's more durable.

Not to mention superior data transmission rates.

[Master of Ossus]

Based on what you know of Federation medical technology (I know very little), do you think it would be possible for their tech to get Vader off of his "iron lung?"

No. Their technology is good at regenerating bone and tissue injuries, but it is incapable of healing serious nerve damage. This is discussed in greater depth in my essay on this board (use the Search function) entitled "Medical Technology."