Cadaver embalming and fixing solutions from past to present

Abstract

Cadaver and organ embalming-fixing solutions have a long history. The aim of this study is to follow this historical adventure step by step and to consider the point of embalming and fixation solutions. This study was carried out on the literature published to Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct between 2000 and 2021. During the search, “cadaver, cadaver dissection, cadaver detection, cadaver use, cadaver embalming, cadaver preservation and organ preservation” were chosen as keywords. The discovery of formaldehyde in 1869 was clearly a turning point for cadaver and organ embalming-fixing solutions, and formaldehyde-based solutions are widely used even today. However, in addition to formaldehyde-based solutions, there are methods such as plastinization, paraffinization, resin embedding methods. It is clearly seen in the literature that formaldehyde-based solutions have serious side effects in terms of human health. Therefore, scientists have developed different methods. However, these methods have both application difficulties and accessibility problems compared to formaldehyde-based methods. Solutions that can prevent these problems should be produced in a short time.

Keywords

• Cadaveric fixation
• cadaver embalming
• cadaver protection