Department of Anatomy, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil.
J Anat. 2022 Aug;241(2):545-551. doi: 10.1111/joa.13669. Epub 2022 Apr 15.
The study of anatomy is largely dependent on cadaveric specimens to fulfill the tridimensional comprehension of each structure as well as the relationship between organs. Given the difficult access to fresh anatomical specimens, the constant renovation of samples for research and educational purposes is unsustainable, beyond the ethical issues involved. The standard technique for preserving specimens involves fixation and later immersion in formaldehyde, which enables a good result, but also presents elevated carcinogenic potential. Therefore, safe and efficient preservation methods are mandatory for anatomical practices and investigations. An accessible and inexpensive alternative for specimen preservation is cryodehydration. Cryodehydrated specimens can be kept dry, with no final odor, reducing the use and exposure to formaldehyde. The objective of this study was to propose a simplified step-by-step cryodehydration protocol to obtain high-quality anatomical specimens. Through consecutive freezing and thawing cycles, cryodehydration caused a weight reduction of 60%-70% and allowed anatomical preservation, while maintaining the main morphological aspects of cavitary and parenchymatous organs, muscles, or even full-body sections. The final specimens presented high durability and can be maintained for decades, preserving all relevant anatomical features.
解剖学的研究在很大程度上依赖于尸体标本，以实现对每个结构以及器官之间关系的三维理解。由于难以获得新鲜的解剖标本，为了研究和教育目的不断更新样本是不可持续的，更不用说涉及到的伦理问题了。保存标本的标准技术涉及固定，然后浸泡在甲醛中，虽然这种方法可以得到很好的效果，但也具有较高的致癌潜力。因此，安全有效的保存方法对于解剖实践和研究是强制性的。对于标本保存来说，一种可及且廉价的替代方法是冷冻脱水。冷冻脱水后的标本可以保持干燥，没有最终的气味，减少甲醛的使用和暴露。本研究的目的是提出一个简化的分步冷冻脱水方案，以获得高质量的解剖标本。通过连续的冷冻和解冻循环，冷冻脱水导致标本重量减轻 60%-70%，并允许进行解剖保存，同时保持腔性和实质器官、肌肉甚至全身切片的主要形态特征。最终的标本具有很高的耐用性，可以保存几十年，保留所有相关的解剖特征。
