Plastinates: Possible tool for medical education in the near future: mini review

Abstract

Background: The objective of this paper is to describe the various types of plastination techniques and their application in medical education. Methods: Articles were searched from internet databases using search terms such as medical education, plastination, plastination techniques, embalming, cryopreservation, etc. Articles that met the selection criteria were selected for the review. Results: The search result showed that Plastination is a technique that uses curable polymers to replace body fluids in order to prevent decay and deterioration. The plastination technique was invented by Gunther von Hagens in 1977. The plastination technique is divided into four types based on the type of polymer used for impregnation: silicon impregnated specimens, specimens produced with polymerizing emulsions, transparent body or organ slices, and opaque brain slices. The technique consists of four steps: fixation, dehydration or defatting, forced impregnation in a vacuum, and curing or hardening. Conclusion: Plastinates, products of plastination, are used for teaching and research purposes. Because of their flexibility, resilience and transparent nature as well as the ability to carry them to class rooms, they can be used to replace formalin-preserved specimens in medical education.