Silicone plastinated pathology specimens and their teaching potential.

Plastination is a process of tissue preservation by impregnation with silicone polymers or epoxy resins. The resulting specimens are dry, odourless, durable, life-like, non-hazardous, maintenance-free, and do not deteriorate with time. The technique may be easily mastered by those with a basic knowledge of histology laboratory practice. A small-scale system is relatively inexpensive to establish and specimens are comparable in cost to traditional 'pots'. Plastinated specimens are a useful adjunct to the teaching of pathology, anatomy, radiology, and surgery, and are particularly suited to use in small groups. They are much preferred to conventional 'pots' by both students and teachers owing to their accessibility, superior illustrative powers, and comparative ease of interpretation.