Art of embalming as practiced by Egyptians about 3000 years ago transformed into embalming science of modern ages with the use of formaldehyde as a preservative solution. Subsequently, the search for an ideal embalming preservative solution continues to date because of the health hazards related to formaldehyde preservation of cadavers. Alternative preservative methods and solutions suitable for making different skill training models with the specific requirements of pliability have also experimented. The literature had documented various solutions like Thiel’s solution and technique, phenoxyethanol preservation, saturated sodium chloride solution, cryopreservation, N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, Ethanol–glycerin and Fix 4life solution as alternatives to formaldehyde preservation. This review is an attempt to have an overview comparison of all the recent alternate embalming methods applicable for developing skill training cadaveric models with an aim of reducing formaldehyde usage in preservation.

The Physical immortality is a never-ending quest for human beings. Over the history of mankind, different methods of preserving the body before and after death were being practiced. All those preservations of dead body were in the realm of religion and belief of afterlife, as practised since 3000 years for Egyptian mummies. The process of near-normal preservation of human cadaver with chemical resulting in minimal decomposition and microbial growth is called embalming. This embalming is of two types namely funeral and medical embalming. In either of these types, the body tissues were fixed by chemical preservative fluid. The long duration of preservation is the aim of medical embalming whereas in funeral it’s for a shorter temporary duration. The ideal preservation fluid has been considered to exhibit antibacterial, fungicidal, non-toxic and non-discolouring properties, still retaining the flexibility of joints and tissues. Metamorphosis of “art of embalming” to “science of preservation” had resulted in experimentation of different compositions, mixtures and preservative solutions for preservation over the recent years.