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Formalin-free soft embalming of human cadavers using N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone: perspectives for cadaver surgical training and medical device development

  • Review Article
  • Cadaver Surgical Training: Status quo from anatomy and surgery
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Abstract

The traditional apprenticeship approach to surgical skill education for young surgeons has drastically changed to more systematic surgical training using cadavers. Cadavers fixed with formalin are not suitable for surgical training because of their associated health hazards and overhardening. Recently, we established a formalin-free soft preservation method for human cadavers using N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone. Since 2012, 61 cadavers have been embalmed with pyrrolidone in our institution. Tissues of pyrrolidone-embalmed cadavers are soft and pliable, and their bodies can be preserved for as long as 37 months without any signs of corruption. In this review, we introduce our recent attempts to apply pyrrolidone-embalmed cadavers in surgical and medical procedure training, including endotracheal intubation, motion physiology of the vocal folds, laparoscopic surgery, endoscopic skull base surgery, and development of novel medical devices. Future research perspectives on pyrrolidone embalming are discussed.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Reproduced from Haizuka et al. (2018) with permission from the publisher

Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Reproduced from Nagase et al. (2020) with permission from the publisher

Fig. 5

Reproduced from Maruyama et al. (2019) with permission from the publisher

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Change history

  • 19 May 2022

    The original online version of this article was revised due to correct the order of the supplementary videos.

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Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely thank those who donated their bodies to science so that anatomical research could be performed. Results from such research can potentially increase mankind’s overall knowledge that can then improve patient care. Therefore, these donors and their families deserve our highest gratitude. This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (18K06841).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan

    Miki Nagase & George Matsumura

  2. Kunitachi Aoyagien Tachikawa Geriatric Health Services Facility, Tokyo, Japan

    Takashi Nagase

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Joho Tokumine

  4. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Koichiro Saito

  5. Department of Colorectal Surgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Eiji Sunami

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshiaki Shiokawa

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  1. Miki Nagase
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  2. Takashi Nagase
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Correspondence to Miki Nagase.

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Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.〹

Supplementary file1 (MP4 146204 KB) Movie (mp4 format) of the mobilities of major joints in a pre-embalmed cadaver (94 years old, female, cause of death: senility)

Supplementary file2 (MP4 204275 KB) Movie (mp4 format) of the mobilities of major joints in the same cadaver as in Movie 1 after NVP embalming

Supplementary file3 (MP4 46746 KB) Movie (mp4 format) of the endotracheal intubation procedure using a Macintosh laryngoscope and endotracheal tube in the same NVP-embalmed cadaver as in Movie 1

Supplementary file4 (MP4 40106 KB) Movie (mp4 format) of the laparoscopic manipulation of the abdominal viscera with forceps (83 years old, male, cause of death: lung cancer)

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Nagase, M., Nagase, T., Tokumine, J. et al. Formalin-free soft embalming of human cadavers using N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone: perspectives for cadaver surgical training and medical device development. Anat Sci Int 97, 273–282 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-022-00664-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-022-00664-9

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