The objective is to replace the patient's blood with a cold saline solution in order to bring down the body temperature. Clinically dead, the patient then underwent an operation before being resuscitated by doctors. Nevertheless, the technique of biostasis (or "suspended animation") still has to prove itself.
As New Scientist explains in an article of November 20, 2019, surgeons from the University of Maryland (USA) carried out the first tests of biostasis, a method somewhat reminiscent of cryonics.
The idea is as follows:the cold saline solution replacing the patient's blood lowers the body temperature between 10 and 15°C . Thus, almost all his brain activity is suspended. The doctors then have about two hours to treat the patient who is in a state of clinical death. After that, his heart restarts and his body returns to normal temperature.
Authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), clinical tests are currently being conducted. However, the results of this procedure, officially called Emergency Preservation and Resuscitation (EPR), have not yet been communicated. Indeed, the clinical tests must still continue and the verdict should be delivered at the end of 2020. It will therefore be necessary to be very patient to find out how many people have been affected by these tests and above all, how many survived.
These somewhat surreal operations target a certain type of patient arriving at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Indeed, doctors practice their clinical trials on patients in cardiac arrest who have suffered a serious trauma such as a gunshot wound (or bladed weapon). In other words, surgeons do not need the consent of these patients who are between life and death.
While the results are not yet known, the project leaders admit that this research has only just begun. The first step is to check if the biostasis really works. If successful, it will be necessary to determine how to use it and what types of cases will be affected.
Let's talk about the fact that suspended animation has some revolutionary potential. In theory, this technique greatly increases the chances of survival of seriously injured patients , therefore cannot be cured by the usual methods.
This technique was first discussed at the University of Maryland in 2016:
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