By Sara Josna

Mysore: JSS Medical College of Mysore receives a plastinated heart that is to be preserved for a long time in its original form from Dr. Umesh Nagalotimath, a London based doctor.

Dr Umesh said, Plastination is a technique used in anatomy to preserve body parts by removing water and fats from the body and replacing it by plastic and silicone resin.

He also added, plastinated specimens are touchable, they do not smell nor decay and can retain most properties of the original sample.

Plastination technique was developed by Gunther Von Hagens in 1977.

Usually, human body specimens are preserved in a glass jar. But plastinated organs can be touched and felt by medical students to acquire more realistic experience. The biggest advantage is that it can be kept on the table or even be carried around, he explained. “The heart specimen will be handed over to the JSS Medical College on Wednesday. I am awaiting confirmation from the authorities. This would be the first plastinated specimen in the university and can be kept in the museum” Dr Umesh said.

This heart was preserved by using the method of plastination in 1994-95 by Dr Umesh’s father late Dr. Sadashivayya Jambayya (S J) Nagalotimath and was brought to India.

This heart belonged to the youth killed in a car accident, added Dr Umesh. It was his father’s dream to set up a museum in Mysore but could not make it happen.

Dr S J Nagalotimath went to Hubballi to practice and was instrumental in developing the internationally acclaimed Belgaum Science Centre and the stones museum in Vijayapura.

Dr Umesh said that a plastinated mould of lungs would be handed over to the JSS Medical College for the students well being and he also stressed that it is important for them to learn the technique of plastination and should be put into practice.

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