title: From "silent teachers" to models.
abstract: For decades, embalmed cadavers have played an important role in teaching anatomy to the scientists and doctors of the future. Most anatomy departments use a traditional formaldehyde-based embalming method, but formalin embalming makes the bodies very rigid, which limits their usefulness for procedures other than dissection. A more recent embalming method developed by W. Thiel has allowed these "silent teachers" to take on a further role in applied anatomy research and teaching: to act as models for surgical training and medical research.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Roos
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisma
authors.affiliation: Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004615:Embalming / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic