Application of a thermosealing industrial process of packaging to human anatomical prosections in interactive teaching

Abstract

Due to the inability to use cadaver dissection, for both legal and economic reasons [1], in the institute of Human Anatomy of Pavia, we started to use a thermosealing industrial process of packaging (VGP 60 Skin, Orved) to wrap and seal off fixed brains and cranial sections [2]. The purpose of this procedure is to improve students’ preparation in relation to skull osteol- ogy and topography of the central nervous system. Designed according to the most demand- ing hygienic requirements, the “Skin” effect is a packaging system that allows a specific film to adhere perfectly to the sample like a “second skin”, ensuring airtight packaging with no type of drop and, at the same time, perfect preservation, allowing an excellent visibility too [2]. These preparations, very quick and easy to prepare, are no toxic anymore because lacking of formalin [3] and could be used by medical students to improve their approach to anatomic nervous sys- tem structures. First, we have washed brain samples in running water, then frozen to harden and finally sealed. We noted that this strategy largely improved student’s level of exam prep- aration on human prosectioned speciments in full compliance with the current safety regula- tions.