Comparative Study of the Outcome of Forced Impregnation of Whole Brains at Cold Temperature, and an Alternative Diffusion/Impregnation Process

Abstract

3 Internal Medicine, Yale University, USA ABSTRACT: Plastination is a modern method of preservation of biological specimens, including human cadavers. This study elucidated how temperature might affect plastination, noting that there is sparse scientific literature on this technique, especially from Africa. It is also relevant to the feasibility of adapting and adopting the technique as a feasible and useful laboratory technique in developing countries, where technological advancement, finance, and socio-cultural factors are suspected to be strong determinants to this effect. The S10 plastination technique is usually done at cold temperature (-25° C), but this study investigated and compared the effects of plastinating at room temperature (~25° C). The four main stages of plastination were carried for the control group while the ‘diffusion’ principle was employed for Group B. The forced impregnation process is typically carried out under vacuum at cold temperature (-25° C) with the use of an additional, relatively costly, refrigerated impregation chamber. Ten adult (n=10) human brains were randomly assigned to two groups (A and B), comprising 5 brains each. Forced impregnation of the Group A brains was performed at -25° C (cold temperature), and the ‘diffusion’ impregnation procedure was carried out for the Group B brains at 25° C (room temperature). The Group B brains required less time for draining compared to Group A. Both methods yielded brain plastinates with the basic features of plastination outcomes. The weights of the brains (g) were recorded at each stage of the process using the digital Sartorius ENTRIS 4202-1S balance. The volumes were also measured at each stage using Archimedes’ principles of fluid displacement in a calibrated glass jar (cm3). The room temperature specimens yielded better specimens in terms of relative weight loss, relative colour preservation, physical properties, and texture and preservation of surface features and brain surface topographies.