Monthly Archives: November 2016

Nov 14

Some questions on Standby/Transportation

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Some good questions were raised about what we are doing with standby and transportation.  I try to answer them below.  This is the summary I posted on the CAA site.  I will expand and update over time.

1. When do you expect to be up and running?

I am hoping for about mid 2017, but some of the items still to purchase will cost serious money, so it may depend on that.   Also there is some training etc.   Let’s say into 2017.

2. How would things work for those wishing to avail themselves of the services of this non-profit wing? A subscription model? Would this include both access to the thumper and use of perfusion chemicals?

Yes something like a subscription model, then a cost covering payment when the person actually needs to use the service.

3. How quickly could you get the unit to locations outside of Sydney in an emergency? Obviously in my case I’m most interested in Melbourne, but I’m guessing others may be interested in other locations… such as Perth.

We have a funeral director in Sydney who has some expertise and resources in many of the things that are useful to cryonics.

  • He is sympathetic to what we are doing.
  • He has strong links with specific other funeral directors in the major cities around Australia.
  • He has expertise in sending many deceased people interstate/overseas so he can handle paperwork/regulations/logistics etc. with minimal disruptions.
  • He has done at least one cryonics patient in the past that I know of but there could be more.
  • He has the Ziegler type containers for air transport of deceased.
The process will go something like this.  Let’s assume the patient is in a hospital in say Melbourne (it could be Perth).    We would need at least 3 days notice.  The funeral director says that we would usually have this.   Shorter times may work, but it gets increasingly difficult for a good final suspension.    Please also note that the below is really simplified and covers what we may consider a typical case.  We have looked at other scenarios, but let’s keep it simple so as to not make this email book length.   The below should give a patient a good final suspension.
  • Patient’s representative notifies cryonics contact or central funeral director (in Sydney) giving about 3 or more days notice
  • Perfusion chemicals (as medical supplies) immediately ordered from US and express freighted to central funeral director.
  • Central funeral director immediately works with his satellite funeral director in other capital city.   Ziegler, thumper, other equipment and stabilisation chemicals sent to satellite funeral director by express flight.
  • Satellite funeral director with equipment (and perhaps a private nurse, cryonics representatives and volunteers) is on hand at hospital when patient dies.  Obtains death certification and commences to apply various stabilisation measures.
  • Patient taken to satellite funeral director premises and brought to just above ice temperature (not frozen).
  • Patient air shipped to central funeral director in Sydney at just above ice temperature.
  • Central funeral director does perfusion and brings patient to dry ice temperature.
  • Patient sent to US at dry ice temperature.  If SSA is operational and patient has arrangements with them, patient sent to SSA at dry ice temperature.

 

Nov 10

Standby/Transportation Progress

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No, we have not forgotten about standby and transportation.   So where are we?

Let me give you where we are in point form so I don’t overload the blog with too many details.

  • Have been working with the US and UK cryonics organizations to put together the equipment and procedures.
  • Have recently purchased a battery driven chest compression system (Lucas 2) for about $9,000.  We have been searching for a while and found one in excellent condition at this very good price.  These electric models usually cost nearly twice this amount.
  • Now working to put together the rest of the major equipment
    • Ice/cooling bath
    • Temperature monitors
    • Inhaler or similar
    • Device to administer stabilization etc. medications
    • Stabilization chemicals
    • A container to hold the Ziegler box at dry ice temperature for shipment to the US
    • Perfusion equipment
    • Other miscellaneous items, including, based on information obtained from Dutch Cryonics, commercial refrigeration to store the perfusion chemicals
  • Regarding the perfusion chemicals there are essentially 2 broad categories:
    • The old style glycerine based chemicals, which have a longer shelf life (probably a few months), but are not so readily available any more.  This is not vitrification so destructive ice crystal formation is a real issue.
    • The new style vitrification chemicals, which have a maximum of a few weeks refrigerated shelf life*, but are more readily available from the US and allow proper vitrification before transport. Once vitrified the patient is however very temperature sensitive (temperature must remain at about dry ice temperature).  Obviously, for eventual local suspension storage this is not an issue, but it is a big issue for eventual suspension storage in the US because of the long transportation times involved.   See the next point.
  • Have now developed a method (inspired by UK cryonics and endorsed by CI) to expedite this transportation to the US, which will allow vitrification from Australia to the US with almost no timing risk.  Hope to have it finalized before about mid next year.  This means that the latest vitrification technology can be safely applied to patients in Australia for transportation to the US facilities.
  • Funeral director network for Australia-wide major city coverage has been identified, but need confirmation and training.
  • The best and lowest cost way to handle the standby and transportation is via a new non profit, which we will be setting up next year.

* I had been thinking normal domestic refrigeration at about 2 to 5C.  On 26 November 2016, our friends in the Dutch Cryonics Organization have informed me that if refrigerated at about -20C, then the VM1 solutions from CI can be stored for years.  This probably applies to the older style glycerine based chemicals as well.  Many thanks to Jappie Hoekstra for picking this up and letting me know.  All the very best for all the good work they are doing in the Netherlands and in Europe.