APPLICATION OF CRYODEHYDRATION TECHNIQUE IN DOG KNEES (Canis lupus familiaris) (Atena Editora)

Abstract

The use of alternative techniques to formaldehyde in the conservation of anatomical pieces is a solution to reduce the contact of teachers and students with this carcinogenic chemical compound, which causes airway irritation. Several alternative techniques to formaldehyde are already used, however, some are still unfavorable due to their high cost. Cryo-dehydration is a cost-effective, low-maintenance, odorless conservation method with excellent results in tissue preservation. This technique is based on freezing the piece, promoting the solidification of water crystals in the fabrics and subsequently releasing this water through thawing, dehydrating and preserving the fabric. In this work, the cryodehydration procedure was performed on 16 femorotibiopatellar joints of dogs, eight on the right antimere and eight on the left antimere. Dissection and application of the cryo-dehydration technique were easy to apply to 100% of the study samples. Regarding the preservation of structures at the time of dissection, in 62.5% of the pieces it was possible to preserve all ligaments, muscle tendons and sesamoid bones. It was also possible to observe the darkening of soft tissue structures, such as ligaments and tendons, in some of the preparations. According to the results found in this study, it is possible to conclude that the cryo-dehydration technique in joints is viable, resulting in parts with little or no odor, eliminating the need for formaldehyde and being a low-cost procedure. The technique allows structures to be easily visualized, handled and stored.