A comparative study of vascular injection fluids in fresh‐frozen and embalmed human cadaver forearms

Abstract

Over the years, various vascular injection products have been developed to facilitate anatomical dissections. This study aimed to compare the most commonly used vascular injection products in fresh-frozen and formalin-embalmed cadaver specimens. An overview of the properties, advantages and limitations of each substance was given, and a comparison of vascular infusion procedures in both preservation methods was made. A literature search was performed in order to identify the most commonly used vascular injection products. Acrylic paint, latex, gelatin, silicone, Araldite F and Batson's No. 17 were selected for the study. One fresh-frozen and one embalmed cadaver forearm were infused with each injection product according to a uniform protocol. The curing time, skin- and subcutaneous tissue penetration, degree of filling of the arterial tree, extravasations, consistency of the injected vessels during dissection, and the costs of each injection fluid were noted. There was a large variation between the injection fluids in processing- and curing time, colour intensity, flexibility, fragility, elasticity, strength, toxicity and costs. All fluids were suitable for infusion. The penetration of injection fluid into the skin and subcutaneous tissue was significantly better in fresh-frozen specimens (P = 0.002 and P = 0.009, respectively), with significantly smaller branches casted (P = 0.004). Vascular infusion of fresh-frozen cadaver specimens results in a significantly better filled coloured arterial tree, enabling more detail to be achieved and smaller branches casted. The biomechanical properties of fresh-frozen soft tissues are less affected compared with formalin fixation. All the injection fluids studied are suitable for vascular infusion, but their different properties ensure that certain products and procedures are more suitable for specific study purposes.

An enhanced fresh cadaveric model for reconstructive microsurgery training

“…One study compared characteristics for commonly used injectable materials for fresh upper limb tissue dissection [39]. These included latex, silicone, araldite F, Batson’s no.…”

The Lateral Antebrachial Neurocutaneous Flap: A Cadaveric Study and Clinical Applications

“…The vessels of the radial artery system and its perforator branches along the forearm were irrigated with 300 mL of warm normal saline solution (60°C) via the brachial artery until leakage of normal saline was observed at the radial artery for removing blood clot. 18,19 To ensure that the neurocutaneous artery could provide vascularity to the flap in reversed or retrograde-flow, we created the distally based pedicle flap before injecting the dye media. The retrograde-flow LABN flap was created based on the trajectory of the anterior branch of the LACN by using a surgical loupe with 2.5Â magnification.…”

Collateral artery pathways of the femoral and popliteal artery

“…Colored latex (Emadere bvba, Ledenberg, The Netherlands; Bichemie Coatings, Almere, The Netherlands) was selected as injection product, based on a previous study. 9 For each leg, two mixtures of 150-mL latex were prepared and colored with 15-drops/30 mL blue or green pigment, for the SFA and DFA, respectively.…”

“…The colored latex mixture was simultaneously injected in both the SFA (blue color) and DFA (green color) using a system as illustrated in Figure 1. 9,10 Infusion lasted for at least 15 min at a constant pressure of 19.6 kPa and a maximum of 60 min. Infusion was terminated 5 min after leakage of the latex from a small incision in the digital artery of the hallux.…”