Category Archives: Cryonics Technology (General)

Michael G. Darwin, a Biographical Précis

Please note: A PDF of this article is available at: http://cryoeuro.eu:8080/pages/viewpageattachments.action?pageId=1441801&sortBy=date&highlight=Darwin_Michael_+G_+Biography_v4.3.pdf& Authorship & Editing Credits The following biography began as a Wikipedia entry authored primarily by Ben Best and a Wikipedian who identifies himself as “Cryobiologist.” In May of 2010, … Continue reading

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I Know this is Going to be Shocking: A Review of Wearable Continuous Monitoring Systems to Detect and Treat Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Cryonicists

By Mike Darwin The problem of a cryonicist experiencing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) unattended is hardly theoretical. This has occurred a number of times already, with some patients going upwards of a week before being discovered. Because SCA is only … Continue reading

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Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists, Part 5

Unarguably one of the simplest, and also the most powerful and effective cryonics first aid measures, is to cool the patient. At first glance, this would seem to require little in the way of preparation. After all, how hard is it to get ice and put it on the patient? The answer depends on the answers to two other questions: “How quickly do you want it done” and “where do you live?” Continue reading

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Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists, Part 4

In situations where irreversibility has been established by a properly executed medical directive not to pursue cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation (especially in cases where the patient is of advanced age, in poor health, or is terminally), it still necessary to objectively determine and document cardiopulmonary arrest. Continue reading

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Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists, Part 3

By Mike Darwin Sudden Death and Unexpected Death: Is there a Difference and Does it Matter? Most cryonicists understand what sudden death is: it is cardiac arrest due to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), rapidly fatal stroke, accident, homicide, and yes, even … Continue reading

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Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists, Part 2

To fix a problem you first have to understand that you have one. While all cryonicists understand the idea that time after cardiac arrest without cooling or other stabilization is not good, few can even describe this injury by its proper name; ischemic injury. Fewer still can provide even the barest details about its mechanics and time course, and only a handful of cryonicists would even be able to voice an opinion about at what point in this process they think such damage might become irreversible (short of complete decomposition). Almost none could give reasons as to what constitutes the basis for their opinion. This state of affairs is both unacceptable and dangerous. It is unacceptable because it has been 47 years since cryonics began, and during that time an enormous amount has been learned about the biological basis of personality and memory, and about ischemic injury and ways to reduce, if not eliminate it. Failing to act in the face of such knowledge is inexcusable. Continue reading

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Maxim, Pumps, and Flow Measurement

You know, the ironic thing is, when Maxim first arrived on the scene, I was really pleased, and I looked forward to being able to work with her in some capacity. I had dealt with a number of perfusionists before, and in fact employed two perfusionists when I operated BioPreservation, a cryonics service provider company in the 1990s. My communication with Maxim was necessarily constrained when she was first hired by Suspended Animation, Inc., because I’d learned from previous experience that it is essential to let people gain their own unbiased experience of an enterprise, and especially of a new employment situation, before any negative input is given. Not only is criticizing someone’s employer under such circumstances considered sleazy behavior, it also just doesn’t work. You are perceived as having an axe to grind, being jealous, and so on. Continue reading

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Response to Maxim’s Rant about Automation in Cardiopulmonary Bypass

I loathe the use of the ad hominem in arguments, and the proof of this is that I rarely use it (and much of what I’ve written is on-line, so this statement can be easily checked). I feel this way about it because I’ve so often had it used on me. My secondary school years, particularly the first two, were horrible. They took the concept of bullying to a whole new level. My response to this was to keep as low as profile as possible, and to go out of my way not to get beaten up – either verbally or physically. It didn’t work. While I can’t say I was grateful for the experience, I did learn a lot from it, not the least of which was the understanding that there isn’t just one type of “bully” or “harasser.” They come in a variety of phenotypes and they are often motivated by very different things. Continue reading

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Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists, Part 1

“Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists” is part of an ongoing series of articles that will published from time to time, to inform cryonicists of what they can do for themselves locally, to minimize ischemic injury in the event of cardiac arrest. Continue reading

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The Lifebridge B2T® “Plug-and-Play” Extracorporeal Life Support System

By Mike Darwin Figure 1: The ultra-compact, lightweight and fully self contained Lifebridge B2T® Portable Extracorporeal Life Support System. Introduction The Medizintechnik GmbH Lifebridge B2T® extracorporeal life support system (Figure 1) is a device fast closing in on a technology … Continue reading

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