Gunther von Hagens' Plastination Technique

Plastination is a technique for preserving tissues, organs, and whole bodies for medical purposes and public display. Gunther von Hagens [4] invented a form of the method in 1977 at Heidelberg University in Heidelberg, Germany, after he observed medical students struggle working with cadavers that quickly decomposed. Von Hagens' body models, called plastinates, have since become widely used educational tools not only for those studying anatomy and medicine, but also for public audiences. By accurately preserving tissues for use in research and education, the technique has contributed to the fields of medicine, anatomy, and embryology [5].