Practical light embalming technique for use in the surgical fresh tissue dissection laboratory

Surgeons using a fresh tissue dissection laboratory need specimens with tissue color and texture as close as possible to those of a living body. Completely unembalmed specimens kept in a cooler remain in good condition only for a few days, and then decay rapidly. Unembalmed specimens can be frozen for later use, but freezing harms their texture, and decay is suspended only for as long as they remain frozen. Since 1998, we have used a method of light embalming adapted from funeral home techniques, on over 250 cadavers used in our fresh tissue dissection laboratory. Lightly embalmed cadavers can be kept in a cooler for up to 6 weeks before use, with negligible loss of tissue quality and color. Once dissection is begun, the cadavers remain in excellent condition, free from odor, for at least two further weeks. Light embalming overcomes the practical problems seen with completely unembalmed specimens, avoids the use of freezing, and extends the range of activities that can be planned in the laboratory. This paper presents details of the light embalming technique. We assume that light embalming does not kill all transmissible pathogens.