How much of your body could you lose - and still survive?
Live Science • • general
Key Points:
- The five vital organs essential for sustaining life are the brain, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys, while other organs like intestines and pancreas are important but not strictly vital.
- People can survive without limbs, and even with significant loss of vital organs, as long as critical functions like the brain stem remain intact and blood loss is controlled.
- Modern medical technologies such as dialysis and ECMO can replace or support the function of some vital organs, though the liver and brain cannot be fully replaced by machines.
- Survival after major organ loss depends on the extent of damage, the speed of medical intervention, and individual patient factors, with some patients surviving seemingly fatal injuries.
- Decisions about using life-support technologies are based on medical
