Abstract
For the study of human anatomy, the use of fresh pieces of corpses offers a greater fidelity and approach to the body structures in vivo, but it is difficult to obtain them, damage is generated in their manipulation and the time for studying them is limited since to preserve their morphological architecture it is necessary to fix their tissues with formaldehyde.
Since the appearance of new technologies applied to education, the use of corpses in medical education has been replaced by alternatives such as the use of anatomical models, virtual dissection tables, virtual anatomy teaching programs and some other alternative techniques. However, many authors consider it a mistake to completely suppress dissection or prosection from medical curricula. In the framework of this tension between traditional approaches and new forms, the difficulty in obtaining corpses or anatomical pieces, exposure to carcinogens used in preservation (formaldehyde) and unnecessary exposure to biological risks arise as devastating criticisms against the use of human bodies or parts of them in anatomy education.
Plastination is a tissue preservation technique developed by Dr Gunther von Haggens in 1977 in which a forced impregnation of polymers, epoxies or resins is carried out, obtaining anatomical specimens of natural appearance, dry, odorless and durable. With this technique, body regions and tissues are conserved for medical education and research purposes.
Since the appearance of new technologies applied to education, the use of corpses in medical education has been replaced by alternatives such as the use of anatomical models, virtual dissection tables, virtual anatomy teaching programs and some other alternative techniques. However, many authors consider it a mistake to completely suppress dissection or prosection from medical curricula. In the framework of this tension between traditional approaches and new forms, the difficulty in obtaining corpses or anatomical pieces, exposure to carcinogens used in preservation (formaldehyde) and unnecessary exposure to biological risks arise as devastating criticisms against the use of human bodies or parts of them in anatomy education.
Plastination is a tissue preservation technique developed by Dr Gunther von Haggens in 1977 in which a forced impregnation of polymers, epoxies or resins is carried out, obtaining anatomical specimens of natural appearance, dry, odorless and durable. With this technique, body regions and tissues are conserved for medical education and research purposes.
Translated title of the contribution | Plastination as a technique for the preservation of biological material for teaching and research in anatomy |
---|---|
Original language | Spanish |
Journal | Morfolia |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 2017 |