ABOUT OUR PROCESS

NOTES

The preferred treatment option is determined depending on the team’s expected arrival time and whether significant brain ischaemia is likely to be present, e.g. due to unexpected death and a subsequent delay at unsuitable temperatures, or due to a stroke. After ~ 48 hours, significant damage is likely, which could defeat the purpose of the cryonic suspension process regardless of treatment option.

In these circumstances, perfusion would likely be viable:

In these circumstances, straight freeze would likely be viable (and preferred so as not to cause further damage):

PROCEDURE

• Receives notification of patient’s terminal condition and location from patient’s representative.
• Contacts nominated cryonic storage facility to advise of patient’s imminent arrival and to check his/her financial status.
• Engages standby personnel and consults medical perfusionist to determine the preferred treatment option.
• Notifies central funeral director and ensures that equipment, chemicals and supplies are ready for use.
• If perfusion is viable, provides specific equipment that will be needed by perfusionist during stabilisation of deceased patient at the bedside, with preferred notice of 3 days to allow for delivery to a remote location.

NOTE

If the patient is located in Sydney, these local responsibilities may be undertaken by the central funeral director.

PROCEDURE

• Liaises with hospital staff so that delays will be minimised.
• Obtains death certificate from doctor when patient dies. Note that other than moving the patient to the hospital cool room, cooling processes should not be commenced until the death certificate is obtained.

NOTE

The medical perfusionist is engaged only if perfusion is viable. For a straight freeze, stabilisation responsibilities are undertaken by the local funeral director.

PROCEDURE

• Attends patient’s bedside during final hours if sufficient notice is given.
• Commences cooling, cardio-pulmonary support and anticoagulant medication, and continues while transporting patient to funeral director’s premises.
• Stabilises patient above water-ice temperature. (The patient is not frozen yet.)
• Performs perfusion with cryoprotectant chemicals.
• Packs patient with dry ice in insulated container. (The patient is now stable for 1 to 2 weeks before further cooling must begin. This allows for transportation, as shown below.)

NOTE

If the patient is in Sydney or needs to be transferred there, all responsibilities are undertaken by the central funeral director. Otherwise, responsibilities are undertaken by the local funeral director without the need for an interim transfer to Sydney.

PROCEDURE

• Arranges transfer to central funeral director by air freight where necessary.
• Sends patient to cryonic storage facility.