Our system to cool patients with a chilled breathable liquid has been developed in conjunction with Critical Care Research, the California laboratory which performed the initial R&D on liquid ventilation. This is an exciting concept because it is much more effective than external cooling, can be set up and applied within a few seconds after cardiac arrest, and can be continued during other stabilization procedures. We are greatly indebted to the principals of Critical Care Research for sharing their work with us and providing guidance as we examined and tested various modifications to their laboratory-based system.

We chose a Dodge Sprinter van (manufactured by Mercedes) as the ideal vehicle for pickup and transport of patients over distances of 200 miles or less. The longest version of the Sprinter has a 158" wheelbase load area and a wide side door, allowing easy access for our portable ice bath, with considerable room for standby kit containers and other supplies. Since the Sprinter is not suitable for a lift gate powerful enough to raise our fully-loaded ice bath, we opted for a folding ramp and a winch that can pull the ice bath into the vehicle in less than a minute. One person can complete this procedure unaided, using a custom-built dolly to level the ice bath while it goes up the ramp. The side door allows easy deployment onto a sidewalk, eliminating the risk of another vehicle obstructing rear access by parking close behind. During 2006, we have been installing thermal insulation, LED lighting, and a pair of Honda generators to power an air conditioner and other equipment inside the van.

For longer distances we chose a shuttle bus that was built for us without passenger seats or windows. We believe the bus is more suitable for patient transport than a conventional truck, because of its relatively soft ride, its built-in air conditioning, its optional side door, and easy access between the front and the rear of the vehicle. The bus is easy to drive and allows the same space for cargo as a box truck, with equal interior head room. During 2006 we began planning its conversion for remote deployment over distances of up to 1,000 miles, including capability for surgical procedures such as femoral cutdown and perfusion with organ preservation solution.

After a lengthy investigation we decided in 2006 to redesign our air-transportable perfusion system around a hard-shell reservoir as opposed to the reservoir bag that has been used in cryonics cases in the past. The hard-shell reservoir allows a greater volume of perfusate and eliminates the risk of bursting a bag by over-filling it. In addition the reservoir enables us to incorporate high-level and low-level sensors that are linked with an alarm system. The reservoir also can be supplied with preservation solution by a gravity feed, which simplifies the perfusion circuit. The new system was developed in close consultation with two perfusionists with a combined experience of literally thousands of cases.