title: Combined maceration procedure permits advanced microsurgical dissection of Thiel-embalmed specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Due to the realistic colour, texture conservation and preservation of biomechanical properties, Thiel-embalming is becoming the main embalming procedure for clinical courses and research based on human cadaver material. The aim of this study is to establish a new procedure that allows advanced microdissection of small vessels and intraorganic nerves in Thiel-embalmed material.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a classical gross anatomical dissection, human hemipelves underwent repetitive application of 3 consecutive steps: (i) maceration with alloy of nitric acid and MiliQ water 1:10 for 24-48h. (ii) Immersion: the hemipelves were rinsed under tap water for 20-30min. and placed in a water bath for 1h. The nerves become more prominent due to the swelling and increased water content. (iii) microdissection under surgical microscope. To facilitate the organ visualization perfusion with polyurethane (Pu4ii, VasQtec®, Switzerland) in red/blue for arteries/veins respectively has been performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By using the proposed procedure, we performed satisfactory microdissection on Thiel-embalmed samples. The combination with polyurethane vascular casting permits visualization of small arterioles and venules in a range of 20-25μm. The method is very suitable for demonstration of somatic and vegetative nerves. Branches of the sacral plexuses and autonomic nerves from the superior and inferior hypogastric plexus have been tracked up to the smallest intraorganic branches in a range of 12.5-15μm. In conclusion, the established combined procedure offers a new possibility for advanced microdissection, which will allow acquisition of clinically relevant information about organ specific micro- vascularization and innervation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bangerter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boemke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Röthlisberger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Inselspital Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: djonov@ana.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Djonov
mesh_terms: D001160:Arterioles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002102:Cadaver; D004210:Dissection; D004615:Embalming / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007001:Hypogastric Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D017942:Nitric Acid; D011140:Polyurethanes; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D014699:Venules / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes; D014867:Water; D017942:Nitric Acid
keywords: Hypogastric plexus; Maceration; Microdissection; Pelvis; Sacral plexus; Thiel-embalming; Vascular casting