Re: Keeping up with the Joneses

Eugene Leitl (eugene.leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)
Wed, 26 May 1999 18:17:57 -0700 (PDT)

den Otter writes:

> No, in fact it might be a good thing to see if something like a
> (semi-)automatic perfusion/cooling machine couldn't be made
> already (within reasonable price limits). It would certainly

Cooling is not a problem (could be as simple as intubation), perfusion is. Without advanced surgical robotics (which a) isn't there b) is going to be expensive for a long while once it arrives) there is no way how you could do it.

This is not going to be an issue for a long, long time.

> help a lot if the initial phases of a cryotransport were simplified
> so that all you had to to is place the deceased in a capsule,
> and push a couple of buttons. The washout might require
> some extra human assistence (plugging in the tubes etc.),

"Plugging in the tubes etc." is the understatement of the decade.

> but external cooling (and perhaps internal as well, using the

External cooling is not exactly efficient. You need liquid ventilation and/or peritoneal lavage to go down real quick. Combined with the proper IV drug cocktail, you can postpone the washout for quite a long time.

> cryovent cooling/oxigenating system) could be easily automated.
> Saves everybody a lot of trouble, and looks really neat (the
> capsule, I mean).

"and looks really neat". I just love that sentence!