Special Large Specimen Preparation

Abstract

Many special techniques have been developed to study particular problems in anatomy and its alteration by disease processes in the lung and elsewhere. This chapter does not attempt to be panoramic or extremely detailed in its presentation, but does describe some highlights of these preparations as they particularly apply to the lung. The reader is referred to the original articles for many of the details with cross reference to other publications on the subjects.^1,2 Other techniques have been described in this volume, including dissecting gross lungs (Chapters 1 and 23), inflating whole and partial specimens (Chapter 1), and cutting 1- to 2-cm lung slabs for gross and subgross inspection (Chapters 1 and 24). Formalin fume inflation under positive internal pressure or negative external pressure has been used by others in preparing beautiful dry preparations (see Fig. 23-8). Freeze drying has been used, and is illustrated in Chapter 24 (Figs. 24-14 and 24-15). Such dry specimen techniques have been most effectively used in studying emphysema^3–6 and correlative radiographic appearances of lung disease.^7–9 Some pulmonary functions can even be done on excised lungs.¹⁰ Illustrations of many of the procedures discussed here are drawn from examples already offered in the preceding chapters.