Chance Of Life After Death—Advancement In Research And Science
May 23, 2019 • 4 views
The process of cryopreservation involves cooling legally a dead person to liquid nitrogen temperature where physical decay stops and preservation of tissues, organs and especially brain with its associated memories and personality as perfectly as possible. The person held in this state is known as cryopreserved patient. The concept is to "buy time" until technology catches up and is able to fully repair and restore the human body.
In 1962, Robert C. Ettinger at Wayne State University found the cryonics with the publication of his book “the prospect of immortality” and introduced the world to groundbreaking concept termed cryonics.He developed deeper understanding with his textbook “ man into superman”.
Only two institute is involved in this process – cryonics institute (CI) and Alcor Life Extension Foundation.
The cryonics institute was formed in 1976 in the vision to cryonics into actual practice.Presently 1000 members from 12 countries, including 117 patients cryopreserved at Michigan facility.
This process consists of two stages: stage one – placing deanimated patient into cryonic suspension.Stage two – reanimating the patient. Many cryonicists are confident about the stage one and currently cryopreserved using the process known as vitirfication.The unknown question is whether advancement in science will be able to revive cryonics subject at sometime in the future.
Cryonics practice has long sought to minimize ice formation by perfusing cryonics subjects with anti-freeze compounds known as cryoprotectants.Vitrification is solidification to an amorphous (glassy) state, which is distinct from the crystalline state characterstic of ice.Most frequently used cryoprotectants in cryobiology is dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), polyols ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerol.These compounds form hydrogen bonds with water thus preventing them from forming ice.Cryonics organizations perfuse brains with vitrification solution until saturation is achieved. The viability of cryopreserved tissues are assessed by Na+ and K+ concentration. Cooling from 0oC to -130oC should be rapid to minimize possibility of ice formation.When cooling from -130oC to -196oC should be done slowly to avoid cracking.
Cryonics subject will be pronounced legally dead very quickly after their heart stops and cryonics procedure begins. The first step--pretreatment of cryonics patients with vitamin E which reduces blood clotting and gastric bleeding associated with aspirin. Cryonics subjects are further treated with medications to maintain sedation, cerebral metabolism, prevent/reverse blood clotting, increase blood pressure, stabilize pH against acidosis and protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Propofol inhibit the neural cell apoptosis that can occur as a consequence of ischemia/reperfusion injury. Heparin is used to prevent blood clotting. Streptokinase is the usual thrombolytic used to break up blood clots. THAM (tris-hydroxymethyl aminomethane) is a buffer that maintains arterial pH without producing carbon dioxide and also maintains intracellular pH.When the equipment is available, cryonics teams restore circulation and respiration with mechanical devices capable of restoring circulation on the down-stroke (compression) as well as the up-stroke (decompression)called asActive compression-decompression (ACDC). While the cryonics subject is receiving ACDC CPS, he or she is in a bath of circulating ice water.Once the cryonics subject is cooled to below 10°C, perfusion with vitrification solution can begin.
Recommended
