L Bale , M Damjanovic , I Damjanovic ,

Fresh frozen and soft-embalmed donors provide realistic and flexible tissue qualities, making them invaluable for surgical skills training and medical research; however their potential to be utilized as long-term teaching specimens is constrained by the progressive and rapid degradation of soft tissues. Because of this tissue degradation, body donors used for surgical skills training may be prepared for cremation with anatomical regions still intact. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of plastinating male genitourinary specimens using the Biodur® S 10 standard technique from soft-embalmed and fresh frozen donors following surgical skills sessions, thereby maximizing body donor usage. A hard-embalmed specimen was also plastinated for comparison purposes. Plastination produced high quality durable specimens regardless of initial preservation technique. The only discernable difference were focally dark areas within the plastinate that was obtained from a fresh frozen donor. As plastinates can be utilized for long term educational purposes, this approach increases the potential usage of human body donors that are initially soft-embalmed or fresh frozen for surgical skills.

Evan Gibbs, Diandra Dwyer, Geoff McAuliffe, Grace Pinhal-Enfield, Gail Elliott,

Durable anatomical teaching specimens are essential for extending learning beyond the dissection laboratory, particularly for anatomically complex structures that learners find difficult to conceptualize. While epoxy resin embedding has been described previously, most published protocols present finalized methods optimized for display, archival preservation, or research applications, with limited attention to pedagogical usability or protocol development. This study employed an iterative, trial-based methodological approach to develop an epoxy-resin protocol tailored for anatomy education. Using the brachial plexus as a test structure, three sequential embedding trials were conducted. Each trial introduced targeted methodological modifications informed by limitations identified in the preceding iteration. Variables systematically refined included resin selection, suspension strategies, pour volumes, de-bubbling techniques, and label integration. Specimens were evaluated following each trial for optical clarity, anatomical orientation, structural integrity, and suitability for instructional use. Progressive refinements across trials resulted in marked improvements in specimen clarity, stability, and preservation of three-dimensional anatomical relationships. Transitioning to a lower-exothermic epoxy formulation, implementing incremental low-volume pours, adopting a monofilament suspension system, and enhancing de-bubbling procedures collectively reduced tissue distortion and air entrapment. The final specimen demonstrated improved anatomical fidelity and incorporated embedded labels aligned with curricular learning objectives, enhancing pedagogical usability. This study presents a transparent, reproducible framework for developing epoxy-embedded anatomical teaching specimens through intentional, iterative refinement. Rather than proposing a universal protocol, the approach emphasizes methodological decision-making guided by educational priorities and realistic institutional constraints. The resulting protocol offers a low-cost, accessible option for creating high-fidelity teaching specimens that support active learning and extend anatomy education beyond the dissection laboratory.

Nicolas Ottone,

The 13th International Interim Meeting on Plastination, together with the 5th International Workshop on Plastination, was held from December 1st  to 5th , 2025, at the Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO) in Temuco, Chile. The event was presided over by Dr. Nicolás E. Ottone, Vice President of the International Society for Plastination (ISP) and Director of the Laboratory of Plastination and Anatomical Techniques at UFRO. Notably, this meeting followed the successful organization of the International Conference on Plastination held for the first time in South America in 2022 (online), also hosted at UFRO, underscoring the sustained institutional commitment to supporting the development of plastination in the region and consolidating UFRO as a growing reference center for plastination education, training, and research in South America. In parallel, the meeting hosted the 7th International Congress on Anatomical Techniques, promoted by the Pan-American Association of Anatomy (APA) and the Southern Cone Morphological Society, creating an integrated framework that combined scientific exchange, technical training, and institutional cooperation. This event represented an official ISP activity in South America and constituted the second Interim Meeting on Plastination held in Latin America.

Rafiqul Islam, Nasrin Sultana,

Preserving biological samples is challenging due to the natural process of tissue decomposition. Therefore, various preservation techniques, such as chemical preservation, cryopreservation, cryodehydration, and plastination are used to preserve different types of tissue samples. However, the existing methods are often expensive and may pose health risks, making them less practical for widespread use. Objectives: Therefore, this study aimed to preserve visceral and musculoskeletal canine specimens by utilizing an epoxy resin immersion method and minimize animal sacrifice for anatomy education and training. Method: Fresh visceral and musculoskeletal specimens (forelimb) were obtained from a female dog, and fixed using 10% formalin, followed by dehydration in ethanol and acetone and finally, immersing in epoxy resin. Results: The epoxy resin-immersed specimens maintained their near-natural morphology while being hard, dry, odorless, lightweight, and durable at room temperature. While visceral organs like the liver, heart, and lungs appeared darker due to pigment formation during fixation, the musculoskeletal specimens retained their normal color and texture. The study found no significant histoarchitectural changes in the heart, where all muscle layers remained identifiable, though cardiac myofibers were less distinguishable from one another. In skeletal muscle, there were no notable alterations except for increased space between muscle bundles and myofibers. The spleen showed some loss of histoarchitectural details due to decreased cellular integrity, but the red and white pulp zones were still distinguishable. Additionally, there was localized loss of lymphocytes in certain areas in the lymph node. Overall, cytoplasmic and nuclear clarity was well preserved across the tissues examined. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the epoxy resin immersion technique can effectively preserve whole anatomical specimens for gross anatomical study while some histoarchitectural details might be lost, limiting its use for histological study.

Dóra Demkó#, Boglárka Tamás#, Kálmán Rácz, Péter Szücs, Tamás Juhász,

This study presents the dissection of a lower limb from a deceased individual who underwent reconstructive surgery due to a right tibial fracture affecting both the medial and lateral condyles of the proximal epiphysis (plateau fracture). The fracture was corrected using an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) procedure, where stainless steel plates and screws were implanted. During the dissection in the area distal to the region affected by the surgery, inappropriate fixation was identified, which resulted in fragile structures that were challenging to dissect and preserve. The dissection was carried out using basic anatomical dissection instruments and the entire process has been documented with photographs in a step-by-step manner. The exposure of the surgical area involved removing the connective tissue covering the implanted hardware, revealing their positioning. Challenges arose in preserving structures located in the insufficiently fixed area, as their fragility limited complete visibility. Following the dissection, the specimen was plastinated and preserved for future educational purposes. Despite these difficulties, the meticulous dissection and subsequent plastination of the limb yielded a durable specimen that serves educational purposes. This specimen allows demonstration of pathological changes in the tissue, provides a learning experience for surgeons and contributes to a deeper understanding of the healing process that takes place in the postoperative period after traumatological or orthopaedic interventions.