The Use of Vacuum Forced Impregnation of Gum Arabic Solution in Biological Tissues for Long-Term Preservation

Abstract

Anatomy Department, College of Graduate Studies, National Ribat University, Khartoum, 12214, Sudan. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to search for an economical, effective, and safe method of tissue preservation compared to the high-cost standard plastination technique currently used for preservation of human and animal tissues. This study was conducted on 144 specimens of adult sheep, divided into 11 experimental groups and one control group; each group contained 12 specimens of four halves of kidneys, hearts and brains. The experimental groups were preserved in eleven different concentrations of gum Arabic solutions, made of a mixture of gum Arabic powder, glycerine and distilled water, while the control group was preserved in silicone-S10 as the standard method of plastination used in tissues preservation. The innovative use of forced impregnation and vacuum to “infuse” the gum Arabic solution was the successful mechanism used in this new technique. It borrows the key step of the plastination technique, that is, forced impregnation to impregnate the biological tissues with gum Arabic solution. The results of the current study revealed durable, realistic preserved specimens with permanent, clear, anatomical features. In conclusion, gum Arabic solution can be used as a low-cost and safe preservation method for teaching anatomy in medical and veterinary colleges, comparable to silicone-S10 plastination, but less expensive.