Implantação do protocolo de plastinação, no Campus Universitário Araguaia – CUA

Abstract

During the 21st century, many anatomical techniques have been researched for the preservation of human specimens, seeking less toxic and more effective methods for anatomy study. In this sense, new possibilities have been proposed, and among them, plastination has proven to be an excellent substitute for traditional methods, both artistically for exhibitions and for laboratory studies. This technique consists of forced impregnation, under vacuum, of biological specimens with reactive polymers. Water and tissue lipids are replaced by resin in stages that consist of preparation of the biological specimen, dehydration, impregnation, and curing. Thus, it allows for dry study with high-quality material, excellent preservation, and no toxicity for those handling it. The aim of this study was to adapt a plastination protocol already established by Von Haggens for a low-cost option that would be suitable for local conditions. The dehydration stage was performed in a cold chamber, the use of absolute alcohol was included before passing through PA acetone, and impregnation occurred in less time than originally recommended. The use of silicone was found to be more adaptable to local conditions than resin. The study highlighted the importance of seeking cost reduction in plastination without compromising the final quality of the specimens. Thus, by adapting protocols present in the literature to a lowcost protocol, it was possible to obtain results as good as those obtained by more expensive protocols. Furthermore, the reuse of animals discarded from other experiments is an environmentally responsible and economical practice. As plastination is an important technique for both artistic exhibitions and laboratory studies, this study presented a way to make it more accessible and sustainable. The use of silicone also proved to be an interesting alternative for local adaptations. Therefore, it is concluded that the adaptation of the plastination protocol to local conditions was successful, and in future stages, it is important to carry out the same on larger anatomical specimens.