title: Method for removal of samples of ear canal and tympanic membrane for histologic and immunhistochemical study.
abstract: Temporal bones are valuable resources to study ear diseases. Although there are several methods for removing temporal bones from cadavers, such methods are not usually described in enough details in experimental research papers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe a simple and rapid method for ear canal and tympanic membrane removal, and to evaluate its viability for histologic and immunohistochemical studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, we obtained 31 ear canal and tympanic membrane samples from cadavers, with a conventional power drill and plug cutter. The material was dissected and samples containing ear canals and tympanic membranes were obtained in blocks. The samples were analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Removal of small and good quality samples containing entire ear canals and tympanic membranes. In all the samples, it was possible to perform both histological and immunohistochemical analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This method was easily achievable, reproducible and yielded good quality samples, both for training purposes and for experimental research. All the samples were viable for histological and immunohistochemical analyses.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences of the Santa Casa de São Paulo.
authors.forename: João Daniel Caliman e
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gurgel
authors.forename: Celina Siqueira Barbosa
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fregnani
authors.forename: Fernando de Andrade Quintanilha
authors.initials: Fde A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000601:surgery*