⛓️Protocols

Current Protocols

The cryopreservation protocol basically consists of four separate procedures. These procedures are deployment and standby, stabilization, cryoprotectant perfusion, and cryogenic cooldown:

a) Deployment and Standby: In the situation where our organization is notified of a pending situation or emergency, a standby team will be deployed at the patient's location to ensure a rapid response after the declaration of legal death.

b) Stabilization: After the legal declaration of death, cooling of the patient should be initiated quickly; blood circulation and respiration should be ensured; blood clotting should be prevented and some medication should be administered to ensure the vitality of the brain. On the other hand, in cases where the transfer of the patient to the institutional operating room will take close to 24 hours, it is necessary to increase the level of cooling of the blood and exchange the patient's blood with an ideal organ preservation solution to protect against blood clotting and ischemia

c) Cryoprotectant Perfusion: After the stabilized patient is transferred to our institution, the blood or organ preservation solution in the patient's body must be replaced with vitrification solution. In the cold state, the circulation of the vitrification solution in the patient's veins is ensured by replacing the water in the cell with chemicals that reduce or prevent icing during additional cooling.

d) Cryogenic Cooldown: After cryoprotectant perfusion, the patient will be gradually cooled down until reaching liquid nitrogen temperature (- 196 oC) for long term preservation. In the future, with the development of appropriate equipment and technology, it is expected that preservation slightly below the glass transition temperature (-124 oC) can be achieved to prevent structural damage. For the time being, however, liquid nitrogen temperature (-196 oC) will be used.