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Fix for Life. The Development of a New Embalming Method to Preserve Life‐like Morphology
Author(s) -
Dam Andries,
Munsteren Conny,
Ruiter Marco
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.547.10
Subject(s) - embalming , cadaver , medicine , putrefaction , flexibility (engineering) , surgery , anatomy , biology , mathematics , ecology , statistics
In medicine, the use of embalmed bodies is essential for studying anatomy and for training surgical skills. Almost all embalming fluids worldwide in use contain formalin and phenol of which formalin is responsible for fixation and phenol for preservation of the cadaver. As the anatomical community is more aware of the occupational risks involved and of the high costs to reduce levels of exposure to these toxic substances, the interest for low‐hazardous alternatives grows. Furthermore, in surgical training there is a growing demand for embalmed cadavers with life‐like morphology as a safer and more durable alternative for fresh (frozen) cadavers.
The Fix for Life project aims to develop a low‐hazardous embalming method preserving life‐like morphology. To achieve this, surplus rats were used to test 12 experimental embalming recipes/methods. For comparison, 2 rats were embalmed by applying conventional methods. A fresh frozen rat served as a control. After 2‐3 months the morphological properties (consistency, colour, flexibility and suitability for dissection and/or surgical techniques) of the rats were rated by an expert panel.
Images of partially dissected rats (2‐3 months post mortem) reviewed by the expert panel (max. score range 0‐10).Advanced experiment showing excellent life‐like morphology. Embalming experiments performed on surplus rats show that the newly developed Fix for Life method can provide in well preserved cadavers with life‐like morphology for education and training uses without the risk of exposure to pathogens when using fresh cadavers or to toxic levels of formaldehyde and phenol when applying conventional embalming methods.