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Saturated salt solution method: a useful cadaver embalming for surgical skills training
Shogo Hayashi1, Hiroshi Homma, Munekazu Naito
1From the Department of Anatomy (SH, SK, TS, NQ, NH, SH, MI); Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine (HH, JO, KK, TS, TY); Department of Anesthesiology (TN, HF, KO), Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Anatomy (MN), Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan; Department of Diagnostic Radiology/Division of Ultrasound (AK), Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Primary Care and Emergency Medicine (NS), Graduate School of Medicine and University School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Advanced Disaster Medical and Emergency Critical Care Center (TF), Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, Niigata, Japan; Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine (HT), Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan; Shock and Trauma Center (KM), Chiba Hokusoh Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Chiba, Japan; Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine (TA), Nihon University School of Medicine Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (MI), Niigata City General Hospital, Niigata, Japan; Department of Colorectal Surgery (YN), National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba, Japan; Department of Plastic Surgery (JA), University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; and Division of Gastroenterological and General Surgery (NM), Asahikawa Medical University School of Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
The saturated salt solution (SSS) method effectively preserves cadavers for surgical skills training (SST), offering flexible joints and good tissue quality. This cost-effective and low-infectious risk method is suitable for wider cadaver use in SST.
Area of Science:
- Anatomical embalming techniques
- Surgical education and training
- Medical specimen preservation
Background:
- Cadavers are crucial for surgical skills training (SST) to enhance surgeon techniques safely.
- Cadaver suitability for SST depends heavily on the embalming method.
- Reducing infectious risks and costs associated with cadaver use is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the saturated salt solution (SSS) embalming method for its suitability in surgical skills training (SST).
- To compare the SSS method with traditional formalin and Thiel solutions (TS) regarding specimen quality and safety.
- To determine if SSS-embalmed cadavers meet the requirements for various surgical procedures and training.
Main Methods:
- Six cadavers were embalmed using three methods: formalin, Thiel solution (TS), and saturated salt solution (SSS).
- Bacterial/fungal cultures and range of motion tests were performed on all specimens.
- Fourteen surgeons and nine SST instructors evaluated specimen quality and performed 21 procedures, including ultrasonography and central venous catheterization.
Main Results:
- The SSS method demonstrated a sufficient antibiotic effect, yielding flexible joints and high tissue quality suitable for SST.
- Surgeons rated SSS-embalmed cadavers as highly comparable to TS-embalmed cadavers.
- Clear ultrasound images were obtained, and procedures like central venous catheterization and cauterized incisions with stapling were successfully performed on SSS-embalmed cadavers.
Conclusions:
- Cadavers embalmed with the saturated salt solution (SSS) method are sufficiently useful for surgical skills training (SST).
- The SSS method is simple, cost-effective, and offers a low infectious risk, facilitating broader application of cadavers in SST.
- SSS embalming presents a viable alternative for preparing high-quality, safe, and accessible cadaveric specimens for surgical education.
