Is long-term sedation possible with current technology?

[Fanghur]

I was just reading a pretty good science fiction novel called 'Beneath', by Jeremy Robinson the other day that involves a manned mission to Europa. One of the things about it that interested me about it was that the astronauts were put into sedation for the duration of the flight and kept alive via intravenous nutrients, as well as microshocks to prevent their muscles from atrophying.

 

I was just wondering; would anything like that be possible using current technology? I mean I've heard of people being sedated for long periods of time, and coma-patients are usually kept alive by intravenous nutrients (I assume), so would something like this be possible now or in the near future?

[herbbread]

So while "suspended animation" as imagined by most science fiction authors isn't quite available yet, it is common to medically induce a coma in particular types of patients. In particular, patients who are in status epilepticus (basically a seizure which doesn't end), are given large doses to benzodiazepines or other anticonvulsants to induce a state of coma. In terms of nutrition, gastronomy tubes are typically used which allow for nutrient-rich fluids to be pumped directly into the stomach. Many stroke patients or patients at risk of aspiration who lose the ability to safely swallow food will often have a g-tube placed to allow nutrition to be obtained. Finally, respirators can allow patients who have no control over their breathing to continue obtaining oxygen.

 

So, yes you can "sedate" someone for a long period of time. However, during this time, you still "age" unlike what is suggested by many scifi authors. Whether people would want to remain in this state during a long voyage through space, however, is a completely different matter. I personally would probably prefer to be awake for the journey if I do indeed age while sedated anyway. Why waste a part of your life asleep when you can do other stuff?

[Fanghur]

 

However, during this time, you still "age" unlike what is suggested by many scifi authors. Whether people would want to remain in this state during a long voyage through space, however, is a completely different matter. I personally would probably prefer to be awake for the journey if I do indeed age while sedated anyway. Why waste a part of your life asleep when you can do other stuff?

 

You're saying that you'd rather be twiddling your thumbs for months at a time in a cramped spaceship as it rockets towards the outer solar system? Frankly if I had the choice I'd much rather just go to 'sleep' at Earth and 'wake up' at Jupiter than be bored out of my mind for 6 months, assuming I hadn't literally gone mad from the cramped quarters. Regardless of the fact that I'd still be aging.

 

And what about the idea of using microshocks to stimulate the person's muscles to keep them from atrophying? Is that currently possible?

[herbbread]

My thought is that I'd much rather spend my time doing something rather than continue to age while doing nothing. I'd spend my time reading, creating, writing etc so that the journey wasn't a complete waste of time. I think the idea for "going to sleep" while on these interstellar or interplanetary voyages is simply that the ship doesn't have enough room or energy to allow however many hundred colonists/explorers happy and alive for that long. In that case, so be it, I'll go to sleep. But if I could, I'd want to stay awake. Just personal preference. But I guess it's very situationally dependent.

 

In terms of preventing muscle atrophy, I do believe there are ways to deliver electric pulses to the muscles to keep them contracting the slow muscle atrophy. I don't think it's ever as good as actually using your muscles constantly, but the technology is available and very simple.