Are anatomical specimens plastinated using cold-temperature S10 silicone technique microbiologically safe?

Abstract

3. Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Bogdanowicz Memorial Hospital for Children, Niekłańska 4/24, 03-924 Warsaw, Poland. ABSTRACT: S10 silicone technique is the world’s most popular plastination technique. Specimens obtained in S10 plastination retain their shape and color while gaining the hardness and consistency of hard silicone plastic. However, the specimens remain those of tissues and organs, which means that they still constitute biological material susceptible to microbial colonization. Reports of plastinated specimens being infected with various microbial species have been published in the literature. With consideration to the above, this study consisted of swab cultures being collected from surfaces of various organ specimens which had been plastinated using the S10 technique five years earlier. Microbial assays were also performed for the surfaces of anatomical models and dissecting room surfaces frequently touched by the students. As a result, various microfloral species were detected on the dissecting room surfaces, anatomical models, and bone tissue specimens while no bacterial or fungal growth was observed on plastinated samples.