The present protocol describes the maceration and cleaning of cadaveric bone with a vacuum-sealed, hot water bath immersion technique. This is a low-cost, safe, and effective method to produce anatomical specimens for surgical planning and medical education as an alternative to three-dimensional (3D) printed models.
A subscription to JoVE is required to view this content. Sign in or start your free trial.
Method Article
Vacuum-Sealed Hot Water Bath Immersion for the Preparation of Anatomical and Surgical Cadaveric Bone Models
In This Article
Summary
Abstract
Bone models serve many purposes, including improving anatomical understanding, preoperative surgical planning, and intraoperative referencing. Several techniques for the maceration of soft tissues have been described, mainly for forensic analysis. For clinical research and medical use, these methods have been superseded by three-dimensional (3D) printed models, which require substantial equipment and expertise, and are costly. Here, cadaveric sheep vertebral bone was cleaned by vacuum sealing the specimen with commercial dishwashing detergent, immersing in a hot water bath, and subsequently manually removing the soft tissue. This eliminated the disadvantages of the previously existing maceration methods, such as the existence of foul odors, usage of hazardous chemicals, substantial equipment, and high costs. The described technique produced clean, dry samples while maintaining anatomical detail and structure to accurately model the osseous structures that can be useful for preoperative planning and intraoperative referencing. The method is simple, low-cost, and effective for bone model preparation for education and surgical planning in veterinary and human medicine.
Introduction
Removing soft tissue and cleaning bones are required for forensics, medical and biological research, and veterinary and medical education. Most techniques have been developed for forensic purposes, minimizing damage to the bone to preserve as much detail as possible. This can provide an accurate, tangible bone model for preoperative surgical planning, as well as intraoperative decision-making to help minimize complications1,2,3. This is beneficial in surgery by reducing operation times and blood loss and improving communication between surgeons, compared....
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Protocol
Lumbar spines were harvested from 4-year-old Merino cross adult ewes (Ovis aries) following the ethical guidelines of the Animal Care and Ethics Committee of the Surgical and Orthopaedic Research Laboratories. Following the institutionally approved method of humane euthanasia, the lumbar spines were harvested using a sharp dissection tool, first incising through the skin and subcutaneous tissues, followed by fascia and musculature prior to disarticulation at the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral junctions. A harvested sample is shown in Figure 1A.
1. Preparation for the initial bath
- ....
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Results
Following this protocol, clean and dry sheep lumbar vertebral column models were created for surgical planning and reference. Samples consisting of seven lumbar vertebrae were processed within 4 days using this method, with one initial bath to remove the bulk of the muscle and three subsequent baths. Completion of the baths was indicated by the ease at which cartilage and connective tissue were removed from the bone. This varied based on the type and location of cartilage; thin layers were easily removed after one or two.......
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Discussion
This technical note aims to describe a simple, safe, and low-cost method to produce an anatomical bone model for the benefit of veterinary and medical education and for use in anatomical education and surgical planning.
Pilot testing found that a bath temperature of 70 °C provided the fastest processing time without causing damage to the samples. Higher temperatures caused an extensive breakdown of collagen within the bone, resulting in brittle samples with a chalky texture. The hot bath.......
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Disclosures
The authors have to disclose.
Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Elite 3D printer | Stratasys, Eden Prairie, MN, United States | 3D printer for production of surgical bone models based on reconstructed CT scans | |
| Mimics Innovation Suite | Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium | Suite 24 | Software to create 3D models from imaging scans |
| Nylon cable ties | 4Cabling, Alexandria, NSW, Australia | 011.060.1042/011.060.1039 | Used to maintain connection between vertebral bodies |
| Orthopaedic wire | B Braun, Bella Vista, NSW, Australia | Used to maintain connection between vertebral bodies | |
| Support Cleaning Apparatus | Phoenix Analysis and Design Technologies, Tempe, AZ, United States | SCA-1200 | Hot water bath for immersion of the sealed sample. |
| Ultra Strength Original Dishwashing Liquid | Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY, United States | Dishwashing liquid added to sealed bag with sample for cleaning of the bone model. | |
| Vacuum bags | Pacfood PTY LTD | Heat safe, sealable plastic bags | |
| Vacuum Food sealer | Tempoo (Aust) PTY LTD | Vacuum food sealer to seal vacuum bags prior to bath immersion |
References
- Leary, O. P., et al. Three-dimensional printed anatomic modeling for surgical planning and real-time operative guidance in complex primary spinal column tumors: single-center experience and case series. World Neurosurgery. 145, 116-126 (2021).
- Tack, P., Victor, J., Gemmel, P., Annemans, L.
Access restricted. Please log in or start a trial to view this content.
Reprints and Permissions
