Marcos Valenzuela Oróstica & Reinaldo Soto Norambuena

Summary

The anatomical material of the central nervous system is increasingly difficult to obtain. Despite being fixed, is very labile and when exposed to various environmental conditions during teaching, becomes deteriorated and drier, acquiring a rigid consistency and darker appearance, which eventually makes it difficult to recognize structures. At the same time, when we obtain a piece of a long-standing cadaver, we can come across a brain so dry, that its state does not provide any use. The aim of this technique was to recover these samples so they can be conveniently used for anatomical studies. We used various brain segments, including some contaminated with fungi and others obtained from old cadavers. The materials used were, hydrogen peroxide, distilled water, formaldehyde and plastic containers. We begin by manually cleaning the samples from any dust and foreign bodies that could be found on their surface. Then, continues with hydrogen peroxide baths, interspersing with re-hydration in distilled water, until we obtain the desired color and texture that allows us to macroscopically distinguish the structures. Subsequently, we reinforce fixation by immersing in formaldehyde. Subsequently, we keep them moistened with this fixation agent in sealed plastic bags indefinitely, inside covered plastic boxes. Other samples were subsequently plastinated. After we applied this technique, most of the samples were noticeably recovered, allowing recognition of structures that, previously because of their deterioration, were impossible to see. In conclusion, this method allows the recovering and gives use to samples that had been previously discarded.

KEY WORDS: Central nervous system samples; Hydrogen peroxide; Re-Hydration; Recovery.

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