Improvement of the Embalming Perfusion Method: The Innovation and the Results by Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Authors

  • João Goyri-O'Neill Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal. Physic and Technological Investigation Center - CEFITEC. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Diogo Pais Department of Anatomy & Body Donation Office. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Francisco Freire de Andrade Forensic Medicine. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Paulo Ribeiro Physic Department. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Ana Belo Department of Pathology. Alfredo da Costa Maternity. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Assunção O'Neill Anatomy and Otolaryngology. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Samuel Ramos Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.
  • Cláudia Neves Marques Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.4236

Abstract

Embalming is a chemical process that aims the preservation and sanitization of the human body indefinitely. The technique of embalm­ing is an important tool in teaching and research in anatomy enabling the preservation of cadaveric material in good conditions (lessen­ing any significant structural changes and maintaining the natural appearance). This article presents the results of embalmed cadavers in the course of arterial perfusion, through the use of a perfusion machine, particularly designed to this objective, and which allows the control of the embalming fluid injection process. The influence of this technique and the optimization of its parameters on the final quality of embalming were evaluated by sequential histological analysis of the cadaveric tissues using an original method of classification of samples collected from 17 deceased corpses of the Corpses Donation Office of the Department of Anatomy of Faculdade de Ciências Médicas from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, subject to the embalming technique developed in the Department. We concluded that, with this method, there is a decrease of the decomposition process at the time of embalming, which is effective at long term (over a year), requiring merely the maintenance of the body at low temperatures (4° C) and it is possible to observe that the tissue best preserved over time is muscle, showing a conservation considered optimal.

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Author Biographies

João Goyri-O'Neill, Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal. Physic and Technological Investigation Center - CEFITEC. Lisbon. Portugal.

Diogo Pais, Department of Anatomy & Body Donation Office. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

Francisco Freire de Andrade, Forensic Medicine. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

Paulo Ribeiro, Physic Department. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

Ana Belo, Department of Pathology. Alfredo da Costa Maternity. Lisbon. Portugal.

Assunção O'Neill, Anatomy and Otolaryngology. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

Samuel Ramos, Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

Cláudia Neves Marques, Department of Anatomy. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas. Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Lisbon. Portugal.

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Published

2013-06-21

How to Cite

1.
Goyri-O’Neill J, Pais D, Freire de Andrade F, Ribeiro P, Belo A, O’Neill A, Ramos S, Neves Marques C. Improvement of the Embalming Perfusion Method: The Innovation and the Results by Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2013 Jun. 21 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];26(3):188-94. Available from: https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/4236

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Section

Original