Histological characterization of soft‐embalmed porcine tendon and muscle (914.1)

Abstract

Embalmed material is used in many fields because of its benefits over fresh materials; however, typical formalin‐fixation results in materials that are vastly different from their original state. Soft‐embalming has received recognition as a viable alternative to fresh or formalin‐fixed materials in education and research, especially in orthopedics. Soft‐embalmed tissue has mainly been characterized by gross features, with minimal investigation into the microscopic features of different types of soft‐embalmed tissues.Deep flexor muscle and tendon were harvested from porcine forelimbs. Samples were soft‐embalmed using one of three different methods: phenol‐based, phenoxyethanol‐based, and Thiel embalming. The samples were visualized using Masson’s trichrome staining immediately following embalming and three weeks later.All types of soft‐embalming displayed typical tendon structural characteristics at both time points. The staining of the tendons ranged from almost entirely blue, as would be expected, to almost entirely red, which was unexpected, depending on the treatment. All soft‐embalmed muscle samples exhibited typical colouring, but there were structural differences. At both time points, muscle of phenol‐based and phenoxyethanol‐based embalming generally exhibited normal muscle structure, while Thiel‐embalmed muscle appeared to have suffered degradation.This histological analysis is a step forward in understanding the effects of different soft‐embalming methods on different tissues, which can aid in determining their efficacy.Grant Funding Source: This research was supported in part by NSERC and CIHR