Home Cryonics Procedures
When the inevitable moment arrives and your biological functions cease, Cryonics America swiftly activates its emergency response team. This team, committed to ensuring your seamless transition, immediately stabilizes your body. Using an anticoagulant called heparin prevents blood clotting during the journey. Upon reaching the cryonics facility, a dedicated medical team stands ready to carry out the next steps of the process.
The intricate process of preserving life beyond conventional limits begins. Cryonics requires finesse, unlike a simple plunge into liquid nitrogen, which could lead to cell destruction due to ice formation. The initial challenge is to replace your blood with a glycerol-based solution, aptly named a cryoprotectant—a human-friendly antifreeze.
The overarching goal is to shield your organs and tissues from the harmful effects of ice crystals at ultra-low temperatures. This transformative procedure, known as vitrification, places your cells in a state of suspended animation, paving the way for an extended future.
As your body undergoes vitrification during cryonics procedures, lying on a bed within a cooling box, we meticulously reduce its temperature towards the chilling realms of liquid nitrogen, a process unfolding over several days. Once adequately cooled, your body finds its final resting place inside a substantial metal tank submerged in liquid nitrogen at a staggering -196 degrees Celsius (-320 degrees Fahrenheit). Positioned upside down, this precaution ensures the continued immersion of your brain in the freezing liquid, even in the unlikely event of a tank leak.
Critical to the success of the cryopreservation process is timely preparation. If you’re considering this transformative path, it’s paramount to be a Cryonics America member with all necessary documentation and funding arrangements in place.
Relating closer to our Miami facility before the inevitable moment arrives is recommended for optimal outcomes for human freezing as well as pet freezing. This strategic move eliminates transportation hurdles, ensuring a seamless transition. In cases where proximity isn’t feasible, coordinating with a local funeral director beforehand proves advantageous. This ensures preparedness and a smoother transition in times of urgency.
Procedure 1: Initiating the TransitionIn the event of a terminal condition, Cryonics America members can take proactive steps to ensure a smooth transition into cryonics bodies. Ideally, a cryonics standby team should be present during the critical moments. Rapid cool-down procedures and additional standby support can be initiated at the bedside.
Once clinical death is confirmed, immediate cooling, particularly of the head, is crucial. This can be achieved by applying ice or using a slurry of ice water. In-home hospice care is the preferred setting, where trained personnel or Cryonics America volunteers can assist. An anticoagulant, such as Heparin, is administered to prevent blood clotting, enhancing the patient’s perfusion.
Transportation to the Cryonics America facility in Miami is optimized by minimizing delays. If death occurs outside Miami, the patient is cooled and transported to our Cryonics institute using chest compressions during transit. For patients residing outside of Miami, coordination with a local funeral director is essential for interim cooling and transportation to the Cryonics America facility.
Procedure 2: Perfusion—Ensuring the Transition ContinuesUpon reaching the Cryonics America facility, the perfusion process begins. Blood is replaced with cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) to prevent ice formation. For this, experts developed CA1, a vitrification mixture. The perfusion involves careful cannulation of the carotid arteries and jugular veins.
Cryonics America follows a protocol of full-body perfusion, ensuring a gradual increase in the concentration of CA1. Monitoring the patient’s core temperature and refractive index throughout the process is essential. The procedure concludes when the refractive index matches that of CA1 or when significant brain edema is detected.
After perfusion, incisions are sutured, and the patient is covered for dignity. They are then moved to a stretcher, securing them to a backboard for support. Transportation to the computer-controlled cooling unit within the Cryonics America facility follows.
Procedure 3: Cooling Down to Embrace TomorrowThe patient is gently placed in the cooling unit, which steadily lowers their temperature to liquid nitrogen levels over five and a half days. Cryonics America’s computer-controlled cooling unit ensures precision throughout the process, constantly monitoring temperature via thermocouples.
Upon completion, the patient is carefully removed, tagged for identification, and transferred to the cryostat. The transfer, performed swiftly but meticulously, ensures minimal warm-up during the process. Liquid nitrogen levels in the cryostats are monitored daily, with the staff of our cryonics institute replenishing from the facility’s bulk tank as needed, ensuring the safety of the patients.
Embark on the Cryonics journey—a meticulous process designed to extend the boundaries of life, securing a place in the future beyond our present comprehension.