Preparation of Skeleton Elements: A Comparative Study on Bone Retrieval by Traditional Burial Method and Modern...

Introduction The foundation of radiology and clinical skills in orthopedics is laid during the teaching of osteology in the anatomy curriculum in medical schools, for which an appropriate bone bank is needed. The retrieval of bones from the discarded cadaveric parts from the previous year's sessions serves as an excellent method of adding new bones to the collection. The present study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of the chemical bleaching method with the burial method in an institute located in a high-humidity environment. Materials and methods Two methods were used to retrieve bones: the chemical bleaching method and the traditional burial method. For the chemical bleaching method, the scraped specimens were immersed in a solution of tap water and household bleaching agent (calcium hypochlorite) in the ratio of 5:1 for 24 hours, after which the bones were removed from the solution and scraped again if any tissue was attached to the bone. The bones were then kept in a solution of 6% hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours for whitening, after which the bones were air-dried. For the burial method, one unembalmed body and dissected parts from five embalmed cadaveric specimens were buried in the burial ground for three years. After two years, the burial ground was inspected and excavated; the unembalmed body was totally decomposed, while the embalmed body remained intact with soft tissue requiring a further reburying for another year. Results A total of 60 bones were attempted to be retrieved using the chemical method, whereas 800 bones were attempted to be retrieved using the burial method. Thirty-six and 511 bones were successfully retrieved using the chemical and burial methods, respectively. The quality of the bones retrieved is presented as descriptive data. Conclusions The chemical bleaching method (calcium hypochlorite) was time-saving and easy to perform for the retrieval of long bones and many short bones. On the other hand, the burial method is useful for the large-scale procurement of bones.