Destructive biochemical processes that begin after cardiac arrest may be more difficult to reverse than any other form of cellular damage. To attempt to prevent these processes, immediate treatment of cryonics patients is critically important.
In recent years, cryobiologists have made significant advances towards preventing the ice damage that occurs when tissues and organs are frozen. During laboratory experiments in animals, vitrified kidneys have regained function after being cryopreserved to temperatures between –45 and –130 degrees Celsius. The techniques that have enabled these advances are now offered to human patients by cryonics organizations.
Unfortunately, comparable progress has not been made toward eliminating the biochemical damage that occurs before human beings are cryopreserved. Ischemia (lack of blood flow) may cause injury that is even more devastating than freezing damage. While many people remain optimistic about the possibility for cellular repair of cryopreserved patients using nanotechnology and/or regenerative medicine, some forms of severe biochemical injury may be difficult or impossible to reverse or repair.
This is why Suspended Animation has chosen to focus its efforts on rapid intervention and immediate stabilization of cryonics patients.
By positioning personnel, medications, and equipment at the bedside before death is pronounced, Suspended Animation maximizes the possibility of preventing biochemical injury.
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