When diagnosed with Hodgkin‘s Lymphoma in the early 1980’s Mike Kuzminski, a rock musician from Canada had to be regularly taken off the road whilst touring with his band to receive chemo and radiotherapy. Infertility was a major side effect for about 20 per cent of Hodgkin‘s sufferers in the 1980’s, but Mike, then aged 18 had not even considered having children. Luckily his forward thinking oncologist at a Canadian fertility clinic advised him to go ahead and freeze his sperm. Fast forward 22 years and Mike Kuzminksi was now hoping to start a family of his own, however Mike learned he was infertile after having a series of tests. Oddly enough, it never crossed his mind to go back to the Calgary clinic where he'd stored his frozen sperm years ago. "I didn't even consider my sperm would be there. I'd forgotten about that life," he said.

On a Christmas visit home to Alberta in 2003, Kuzminski's sister reminded her brother of his frozen sperm -- giving her brother and partner a hope of conceiving a biological child. Kuzminski tracked down the name of the clinic and called almost immediately. After waiting on the phone for some minutes, Kuzminski got the happy news from a staff member at the clinic, who replied; “We totally have you here -- and you owe us $2,000 for storage."

On the 1st of November 2007, baby Jacek Kuzminski was born in Langley, Canada, in what has been deemed a Canadian record for fertility treatment. The sperm they used had been on ice for more than 22 years, originally frozen by a Planer controlled rate freezer, and kept at liquid nitrogen temperatures in a cryogenic storage vessel. Planer machines are still in use at the clinic today.

Physicians across the country are trying to agree on guidelines for what should be done with abandoned frozen sperm. Kuzminski said he was both surprised and thankful that his frozen sperm had not been destroyed despite the fact that he had not paid nor contacted the Calgary clinic where it was stored for more than 22 years.

Full story from http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/parenting/story.html?id=1e9918a2-1c52-4ab1-8e79-5601f70f086d&k=61253

For more information on our range of products please go to our Products page

  • Downloads +

  • Features +

    Level measurement & control Temperature Measurement User interaction & alarm output
    PD: pressure differential sensor for real
    time level display (10mm accuracy)
    Real time level display (10mm accuracy) Via a TFT touch screen (320x240
    pixels)
    4P: Four negative temperature
    coefficient sensors (level: extra high, high, low and extra low)
    Two PT100 temperatures sensors with one degree accuracy (K/F/C) Visual on display level of Liquid
    Nitrogen + both probe temperatures in
    Two fill valve - safety Two point temperature sensor calibration Alarm visual in a different colour + with
    first help indications/options
    Two gas-bypass valve   Audible alarm
    Two point pressure differential
    calibration
      NC/NO remote alarm, Ethernet /RS485
    alarm options

     

    Alarm types Communication Basic controllers options
    Level alarm high / low USB port for controller diagnostics Level read out and control - manual or automatic
    Temperature alarm high / low Two RS485 ports for communication with other controllers Temperature read out and alarm
    Fill time alarm One ethernet port for alarm/monitoring and or logging purposes Timed / One fill all fill / simultaneous and cascade filling options
    Usage alarm   Defog option / quick cool options
    Gas bypass time and or temperature alarm Logging Features Lid open alarm
    Sensor fault Logging files stored on SD card. Nitrogen and temperature levels, fill Liquid usage control
    Mains fault   Battery back-up
    Lid open alarm    
  • Benefits +

    • Compatible with all brands of tanks
    • Compatible with ReAssure
    • Allows one fill all fill between different tanks
    • Touchscreen
    • Log data from controller
  • 1

Contact Us

The Planer Cryogenic Storage range is offered to the international market. 

Please contact us to get further information.

Vessel News

  • 1

Planer Limited

110 Windmill Road
Sunbury-On-Thames
TW16 7HD
United Kingdom

+44 1932 755000
Contact Us