Plastinates: Possible Tool for Medical Education in the Near Future: Mini Review

Dibal, Nathan Isaac; Garba, Sani Hyedima; Jacks, Tamunotonye Watson

doi:10.15171/rdme.2018.002

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…It makes cadaver and specimens easy to handle, easy to store, odourless, dry, non-irritant, nontoxic, preserves for a longer duration (up to 40 years) and overall, gives more anatomical details when we use it in teaching and learning. 2,5,[14][15][16][18][19][20][21][22][23] Its one big advantage is that it is possible to move between the macroscopic specimen and the microscopic histology slides to compare the structure in detail. 2,22 Moreover, plastinated specimens have a better ability to reflect anatomical variations of different organs and congenital malformation.…”

Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2,22 Moreover, plastinated specimens have a better ability to reflect anatomical variations of different organs and congenital malformation. 2,19,20 To date, plastination techniques have featured studies of more delicate anatomical organization than ever before, e.g., the female urethra, 24 esophageal muscles, 25 bone's morphology, 26 skin ligaments, 27 and spinal cord. 28 In recent times, plastination products are not only appreciated as teaching or training tools but also as research tools throughout medical, biomedical, veterinary and health science institutions.…”

Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plastination: A Novel Way of Preservation of Cadaveric Specimens for Teaching and Learning Human Anatomy

Nurunnabi

Alim²,

Hoque³

et al. 2023

Mediscope

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Plastination is a preservation method of anatomical specimens, which can be used for long-term educational purposes both in basic and clinical sciences. Dr. Gunther von Hagens first developed this technique in 1977 in Heidelberg, Germany. There are several plastination methods that are currently used in different countries. Room-temperature silicone plastination using ‘North Carolina technique’ is assumed as the best suited for our institutions considering our country’s climate and feasibility in terms of limited resources. In general, plastination methods involve four stages: i) fixation and specimen preparation; ii) dehydration and defatting; iii) plastic permeation or force impregnation by plastic material; and iv) hardening or curing. Fixation involves addition of formalin to the specimen for preventing decay and bacterial growth. Then dehydration is done by submerging the specimen in acetone baths. Thereafter, the specimen is kept in a vacuum chamber, where plastic permeation or forced impregnation occurs. Polymers penetrate the tissues of the specimen while removing acetone. After leaving the specimen in an airtight chamber maintaining a specific temperature, hardening or curing process follows. Plastination technique has several advantages like making cadaveric specimens easy to handle, easy storage of viscera, prolonged preservation, odourless, dry, non-irritant, nontoxic presentation and ability to present more anatomical details than ever before. Some important drawbacks are that the process is very costly, time consuming, limited size of the impregnation chamber, health and environmental hazards of the chemicals used. Plastination seems to have a great future in all fields of teaching, training and research not only in anatomy education but also in other disciplines in medical, biomedical, veterinary and health science institutions across the globe. Plastinates have opened several new windows to the world of anatomical sciences. Mediscope 2023;10(1): 31-37

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Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Advantagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastination: A Novel Way of Preservation of Cadaveric Specimens for Teaching and Learning Human Anatomy

Nurunnabi

Alim²,

Hoque³

et al. 2023

Mediscope

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“…Through time, many methods and techniques that are essential for veterinary students and anatomists were developed (4). Veterinary education is the foundation of every veterinarian, with its ultimate goal to produce highly skilled, and practically equipped professionals who give priority to diseased animals (5).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From toxic cadavers to biosafe specimens: a brief history of plastination in veterinary anatomy

Yunus

Ekim

Bakici

et al. 2022

Veteriner Hekimler Derneği Dergisi

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The teaching of veterinary anatomy was started in line with the foundation of the first veterinary school in Lyon in 1762. During this time fewer tools and techniques were available for displaying and visualization of organs in order to teach anatomy. Over the years, many methods, tools, and techniques that are essential for veterinary students and anatomists were developed. Teaching materials like cadaver which preserved by formalin has being using for a long time. Instead of preserved cadavers, various teaching materials have also been using in different parts of the world. These alternative techniques were not hopeful to meet the challenges in the medical and veterinary sciences. In 1977, Dr. Gunther von Hagens came up with an exclusive method, for the preservation of biological materials, called plastination. In the process of plastination body fluids and lipids in biological tissues replace with epoxy silicone and polyester polymers. Plastinated specimens are an excellent alternative to formalin-fixed specimens. Plastination brings not only three-dimensional and cross-sectional specimens for teaching and research, but also durable, clean, non-toxic materials for students. Plastinates are also convenient to handle, transport, and store. Three major methods used in plastination are silicone plastination, sheet plastination with epoxy method and sheet plastination with polyester method. Silicone plastination is the most adaptable technique for cadavers, whole body or organ slices. Relative to the other plastination methods, it is widely used for teaching veterinary anatomy. Sheet plastination with polyester resin has been used for the production of opaque brain slices, while sheet plastination with epoxy resins are used for transparent body or organ slices. Plastinated specimens are easy to work for both theoretical and practical courses.

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“…Several references offer an attractive solution to this problem, such as 3D printing models [15] or an aggressive extraction method and plastination [16][17][18] that offers a poor conservation property with high material deterioration in a short period. Therefore, there is a knowledge gap about a plausible and cheap methods that allows long period conservation of real human sections for presential education and online teaching on medical science education.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing New Teaching Materials to Enhance Students Learning and Engagement at University

Calero¹,

Toledo²,

Lobato³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Pandemic scenario has significantly changed several factors of life, including teaching, and learning at university. The development of suitable teaching materials to support university studies is mandatory to overcome distance learning difficulties and improve traditional teaching methodologies. This work explains a novel method for the preparation of teaching materials for medical sciences, but also plausible for other learning fields. An encephalon was extracted and prepared by using this methodology for teaching purposes. More than 200 students evaluated several factors of the material prepared this way, indicating a better understanding (up to 80%) of theoretical contents related to this human section, together with a high usability and good physical appearance

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Plastinates: Possible Tool for Medical Education in the Near Future: Mini Review

Cited by 8 publications

References 12 publications

Plastination: A Novel Way of Preservation of Cadaveric Specimens for Teaching and Learning Human Anatomy

Plastination: A Novel Way of Preservation of Cadaveric Specimens for Teaching and Learning Human Anatomy

From toxic cadavers to biosafe specimens: a brief history of plastination in veterinary anatomy

Developing New Teaching Materials to Enhance Students Learning and Engagement at University

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