Suspended animation

For other uses, see Suspended animation (disambiguation).

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) being performed on a trauma patient in a hospital of Maracay, Venezuela. Like CPR, suspended animation could delay the onset of cell death (necrosis) in seriously injured or ill patients, providing them with more time to receive definitive medical treatment.

Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. States of suspended animation are common in micro-organisms and some plant tissue, such as seeds. Many animals, including large ones, may undergo hibernation, and most plants have periods of dormancy. This article focuses primarily on the potential of large animals, especially humans, to undergo suspended animation.

In animals, suspended animation may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogenous, natural or artificial biological, chemical or physical means. In its natural form, it may be spontaneously reversible as in the case of species demonstrating hypometabolic states of hibernation. When applied with therapeutic intent, as in deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA), usually technologically mediated revival is required.[1][2]

  1. ^ "Suspended Animation". Medical-Dictionary.thefreedictionary.com.
  2. ^ Asfar, P; Calzia, E; Radermacher, P (2014). "Is pharmacological, H2S-induced 'suspended animation' feasible in the ICU?". Crit Care. 18 (2): 215. doi:10.1186/cc13782. PMC 4060059. PMID 25028804.