Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by srean on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @10:25AM
(#12845923)
My first thoughts were on similar lines: A study on how to put economy class transcontinental-flight passengers out of their misery, pack them like sardines and resuscitate them on arrival. Wierdly enough, I might be tempted to opt for such a dystopian travel machinery than the one that exists now.
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by mikeash on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @10:42AM
(#12846027)
If it could be demonstrated to be safe, I have trouble seeing any downside to your idea!
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by Kenji on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @11:22AM
(#12846488)
Probably because anaesthesia has significant risks, and even if it was safe, most people would spend the first few hours on arrival puking (a very common side effect of anaesthesia).
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by sargun on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @11:29AM
(#12846595)
Even at that, you have to be able to evacuate a commercial airliner in ~90 seconds. How do you fix this?
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by verdex_blarg on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @12:11PM
(#12847146)
Each person sleeps in a coffin that is also an autonomous vehicle. When the emergency alarm is raised (and the plane is on the ground), all of the coffins get dropped off the bottom of the plane and they all drive their individual passengers off to safety.
EDIT: Heck, I don't see why you couldn't also put a parachute on the thing.
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by dantillberg on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @02:00PM
(#12848504)
It doesn't have to be an airliner; if you get to "sleep" for the whole journey, why not stretch the trip to a few days or weeks on a train or bus or boat?
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by schoen on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @02:27PM
(#12848791)
Unfortunately, being unconscious and relatively immobile for that long would be extremely bad for your health. People in a coma require a lot of specialized nursing care -- for example to avoid developing bed sores -- and anyone immobile for a long time risks cardiovascular problems and muscle atrophy. You can get quite deconditioned from just a week or two of bed rest.
The "stasis" approach for long trips would probably have to be something higher-tech than just regular anesthesia...
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by ar15saveslives on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @02:11PM
(#12848628)
Because we have just 10-15 days of vacation per year.
Re:Transcontinental anaesthesia: a pilot study (2013)
by woliveirajr on Tuesday November 01, 2016 @11:14AM
(#12846358)
Could change the title to "applying anesthesia from a remote site: a pioneering study".
In case anyone hits the comments first and has the same confusion: it's a "pilot study" in the sense that it's the first of its kind, and "transcontinental" refers to controlling the process remotely. Basically: can your anesthesiologist be off-site and do his work over the internet instead of having to be in the operating room?