Case Report for Cryonics Institute Patient Number 174
(Version written by Cryonics Germany)  

Cryonics Institute Patient #174 is a 96 old male, retired Engineer, who lived in a hospice in Germany. Before his deanimation, he became a CI member and Cryonics Germany was instructed to perform the on-site treatment and subsequent transportation to CI.  

On February 16, a Saturday evening, the patient deanimated in a hospital in Hannover, Germany, in the course of an aspiration pneumonia. He was quickly put on cold storage at about 6 °C and the hospital staff informed the Cryonics Germany emergency team. In the morning of Sunday, February 17, three members of Cryonics Germany started perfusion via the common carotid artery approximately 11 hours after death.  

The patient was perfused with ca. 32 liters VM1, applying a moderate perfusion pressure between 50 mbar and 100 mbar. The implemented concentration levels of ethylene glycol (EG) were as follows: First 10% EG (ca. 9 liters), then 30% EG (ca. 9 liters) and finally 70% EG (ca. 14 liters). The perfusion progressed well and no edema or blood clots were noted during the first part. While going on for several hours increased swelling, especially of the head, was observed towards the end of perfusion, suggesting the formation of edema. 

By monitoring the backflow via the jugular veins and the left femoral vein, the perfusion of the head as well as of the body could be confirmed. Overall, approximately 15 liters of blood and initial VM1 were washed out. The final concentration of EG in the backflow through jugular veins was measured to be 56.9% using a digital refractometer. 

With progressing perfusion, the patient was further cooled with water ice and dry ice. Subsequently, the whole body was covered with dry ice. Then the flight to Cryonics Institute was organized. The patient was transferred to the USA in an insulated transportation box 6 days later, on February 23. The patient was permanently kept on dry ice at -78 °C (-108 °F) until the transfer by plane. Overall, about 250 kg of dry ice were used for the intermediate storage in Germany. About 30 kg of dry ice blocks wrapped in paper were utilized for the flight itself. Approximately half of it was left after arrival, confirming appropriate cooling during flight.  
At the Cryonics Institute, the patient was put in the computer controlled cooling unit and cooled down to liquid nitrogen temperature over five and a half days. In the morning of March 1, he was moved from the cooling unit to his cryostat for permanent storage in liquid nitrogen. 

This was the first whole body cryonics case with a perfusion performed by Cryonics Germany.

Cryonics Institute Case Report for Patient Number 173

CI patient #173 was a 57 year old female from Florida.  The patient was a CI member at the time of her death.

The patient died in the hospital and was pronounced at 11:59 am on August 25, 2018. After pronouncement took place, the hospital staff applied ice to cool the patient down. No Heparin could be given. The funeral home that the family contracted with came to transfer her to the funeral home. She remained on ice while the funeral home staff worked quickly to obtain the paperwork needed for her transportation. 

The patient arrived at the CI facility at 6:40 pm on the 26th, approximately 30 hours after death.  The patient was in a Ziegler case in a body bag with a generous amount of ice. The nasal temperature upon her arrival was -1.4c. 

Hillary Martenson performed the perfusion.  The perfusion was completed at 8:40 pm.  During the perfusion there were 1 liter of 10% Eg solution and 4 liters of 30% Eg solution used, and 25 liters of 70% VM1 solutions used.  The final refractive index of the effluents exiting the right jugular vein was 1.4195.  The final refractive index of the effluents exiting the left jugular vein was 1.4217. The average perfusion pressure was held at 125mm and metal cannulas were used. Flow rate started at 2.01 liters per minute and was reduced to 0.54 liters per minute by the end of the perfusion. The nasal temperature was -6c at the end of the perfusion. 

There were some blood clots noted during the perfusion, but there was good flow from both jugular veins. There was an attempt to perfuse the body, but there was edema and other complications throughout the patient’s body upon arrival. As soon as the body perfusion began, the patient’s abdomen began to swell, so the perfusion of the body was stopped at 7:41 pm. Significant dehydration of the head and face was noted along with a bronzing of the skin. There was very slight edema in the face noted toward the end of the perfusion.  

The patient was then transferred to the computer controlled cooling chamber to cool to liquid nitrogen temperature.  The human vitrification program was selected and the time needed to cool the patient to liquid nitrogen temperature was five days and 11 hours.  The patient was then placed in a cryostat for long-term cryonic storage. 

Cryonics Institute Case Report for Patient Number 172

CI patient #172 was an 86 year old female from Illinois.  The patient was a CI member at the time of her death.

The patient died in the hospital and was pronounced at 4:05 pm on August 17, 2018. After pronouncement took place, the funeral director that the family had contracted with cooled her down with water ice, injected Heparin, and performed chest compressions. They then transferred her to the funeral home and worked quickly to obtain the paperwork needed for her transportation. 

The patient arrived at the CI facility at 2:00 am on the 18th, approximately 10 hours after death.  The patient was in a body bag with a generous amount of ice. The nasal temperature upon her arrival was 22c. 

Hillary Martenson performed the perfusion.  The perfusion was completed at 4:40 am.  During the perfusion there were 5 liters of 10% Eg solution and 10 liters of 30% Eg solution used, and 40 liters of 70% VM1 solutions used.  The final refractive index of the effluents exiting the right jugular vein was 1.4209.  The final refractive index of the effluents exiting the left jugular vein was 1.4208. The average perfusion pressure was held at 130mm and metal cannulas were used. Flow rate started at 1.32 liters per minute and was reduced to 0.55 liters per minute by the end of the perfusion. The nasal temperature was -6.4c at the end of the perfusion. 

There were no blood clots noted during the perfusion and there was good flow from both jugular veins. There was an attempt to perfuse the body, but there was a lot of edema throughout the patient’s body upon arrival. There was very minimal dehydration and bronzing of the body. The perfusion of the body was stopped at 3:47 am, as there was no evidence of any further progression. Significant dehydration of the head and face was noted along with a bronzing of the skin. No edema was noted in the patient’s head or face. 

The patient was then transferred to the computer controlled cooling chamber to cool to liquid nitrogen temperature.  The human vitrification program was selected and when the patient reached liquid nitrogen temperature, she was then placed in a cryostat for longterm cryonic storage.