[ExI] Case A-2643

[Rafal Smigrodzki]

I finally got to read my May-June copy of Cryonics, and I found an
interesting update on the case of Kim Suozzi. It appears that the initial
estimates of poor or negligible cryoprotectant perfusion were incorrect and
based on a reanalysis of CT images with calibrated data the actual
perfusion was quite good, if not perfect.

The interesting part is that apparently good perfusion was achieved with
minimal brain dehydration, as judged by lack of shrinkage. The update
theorizes that this may have been due to an opening of the blood-brain
barrier, possibly caused by the combination of neoplasm (brain tumor) and 1
hour of warm ischemia before perfusion.

This observation opens a fascinating research opportunity - if it is true
that an opening of the blood-brain barrier allows vitrification without
dehydration-related shrinkage, then it may be useful to intentionally open
the BBB before perfusion. Lack of shrinkage in a vitrified tissue may make
it easier to perform scanning for uploading, and perhaps might prevent some
loss of information.

There are drugs that open the BBB, which is not useful for most cases of
cryopreservation but they might allow easy testing of the idea in animals.
If benefits of BBB opening were to be confirmed in animals, then other
techniques could be developed for use in patients, for example
ultrasound-assisted BBB disruption.

More research is needed.

Rafał
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