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

Abstract

The teaching of veterinary anatomy was started in line with the establishment 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 professional 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, 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. Using of anatomic specimens after plastination can be quite efficient for both theoretical and practical courses.