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BACKGROUND: The teaching of anatomy from early days of medical education relied on the use of cadaver; hence, the present study assessed the support for whole-body donation among academic staff. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted from January to March 2024 in Southwestern Ugandan medical educational schools among 160 academic staff. Ethical approval was obtained and structured questionnaires were distributed to study participants in the selected Medical Educational Schools. RESULTS: Among the 160 sampled academic staff, only 16 % and 18 % supported the donation of their whole-body and the bodies of their relatives/friends for anatomical education respectively. The reason put forward for respondents support for whole-body donation were contribution to medical science (88.5 %) and learnt from someone's body (53.8 %). The fear of misuse of their body (42.5 %), cultural (53.7 %) and religious (44.8 %) belief were the reasons for non-support for whole-body donation among the study participants. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that support for whole-body donation among academic staff was low; reasons for non-support were fear of misuse of body, religious and cultural beliefs; hence, we recommend the need for massive desensitization of the public aimed at building confidence on whole-body donation in the community.

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This systematic review synthesized evidence for the development of a preparatory process for first-time dissectors, geared toward improving cadaver dissection (CD) experiences. Eleven studies focused on pre-CD intervention were selected from a literature search in PubMed, the Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Google Scholar, PsycNET, and the Cochrane Library. A three-pronged preparatory process was formulated for first-time dissectors based on the evidence from the review. The process includes (1) background assessment; (2) pre-CD education; and (3) gradual exposure and desensitization. The preparatory process shows some hypothetical potential for decreasing negative CD-related experiences, but it still needs validation before implementation.

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The axillary artery is the continuation of the subclavian artery. Occasionally, some of the subclavian artery's distal branches may atypically originate from the axillary artery, such as the suprascapular artery. The suprascapular artery's distal (low) origin from the axillary artery, instead of the subclavian artery, may also be characterized as an aberrant suprascapular artery. The current cadaveric report describes the coexistence of an aberrant suprascapular artery (of axillary origin), variant course, and termination with atypically formatted nerves originating from the cervical (the phrenic nerve) and the brachial (the long thoracic and the median nerves) plexus. An unusual interconnection between the phrenic and the long thoracic nerves was also described. The aberrant suprascapular artery had an atypical termination below the superior transverse scapular ligament, along with the suprascapular vein and nerve. Except for the atypically formatted phrenic and long thoracic nerves, the aberrant suprascapular artery coexisted with an atypical passage of the anterior ramus of the C6 spinal nerve, through the middle scalene muscle, before the long thoracic nerve formation, and a variant formation of the median nerve. Understanding neurovascular variants is crucial for interventionists and surgeons who work in the supra- and infraclavicular areas. Being aware of the different origins of the brachial plexus branches, in the supraclavicular part, may help reduce the occurrence of iatrogenic axillary injury. Efforts should be made to expand the number of cadaveric studies that investigate the origin, course, interconnection, and branching patterns of these nerves and related covariants, in a systematic way, thus unifying their study and comprehension.

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A unique combination of triple abnormality in a willed male body donor dissection, with putative clinicopathological correlations during the subject's lifetime, is described in this case report. The subject had a three-piece artificial urinary sphincter surgically implanted around the proximal corpus spongiosum, left scrotal pouch and in the lower left abdominal wall, ostensibly for urinary incontinence during his lifetime, though the etiology of the latter was not immediately obvious. He also had a total of three accessory renal arteries involving both sides, complicated by bilateral diffuse renal atrophy from presumable glomerulosclerosis or nephrosclerosis-induced nephrotic syndrome. While each entity may not be so unique per se, each is not too common either. The combination of all three findings has not been described to date in the contemporary literature in a single male cadaver dissection. Only seven reports of artificial urinary sphincter studies on human cadaver subjects could be detected in contemporary literature, this being the eighth. Finally, there were no apparent etiopathological or pathogenetic mechanisms to explain the occurrence of each or the coexistence of all of them in a single male cadaveric subject. The artificial urinary sphincter was reviewed with respect to its characteristics, placement, and efficacy. An attempt was made to establish the cause-effect relationship between the artificial sphincter and urinary incontinence that necessitated the implant. Thereafter, a clinicopathological correlation was proposed in this case report to reconcile the concomitance of urinary incontinence, bilateral accessory renal arteries, and bilateral renal atrophy. An embryogenetic mechanism of the aberrant renal arteries was also suggested. Physician awareness from the standpoint of preoperative investigation of such cases was also highlighted.

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The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a substantial impact on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP), a programme in which members of the public may pledge their bodies to be used for medical training and research after their death. This study aimed to explore the conduct of body donations and simulation surgery training during the COVID-19 pandemic from the viewpoints of the committee members of the SMP and the next-of-kin of body donor pledgers. This study utilised a qualitative exploration method to seek an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. In-depth individual interviews were carried out. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns of themes. The COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is compulsory before accepting a body donation, and this resulted in the turning down of several donations. Being a donor is the final wish of pledgers and this turning down led to a negative emotional remorseful feeling in the next-of-kin of pledgers. From the perspective of students, it is feared that the conduct of the programme, particularly the home visit session being held online, has impeded teaching of humanistic values, compassion, and empathy, which is the prime philosophy of the programme. Previous to the pandemic, the programme ceremonies were well-attended, denoting the utmost respect and recognition of the mentors; however, travel restrictions due to the pandemic limiting in-person attendance resulted in ceremonies becoming less impactful. Continuous postponements of cadaveric dissection training also resulted in students missing training opportunities, hence potentially impairing their professional practice and humanistic values in the medical profession. Counselling interventions should be directed at easing the negative psychological impact on the next-of-kin of pledgers. As the COVID-19 pandemic may pose a significant impediment to achieving the educational outcomes of cadaveric dissection training, efforts to make up for these gaps are essential.

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INTRODUCTION: Modified teaching strategies (MTS), asynchronous online teaching and smaller dissection groups, were applied to a gross anatomy course for dental students in the National Taiwan University in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the effects and perceptions of MTS on dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scores for anatomy examinations for 2018-2019 (without MTS) and 2019-2020 (with MTS) cohorts were compared to explore the effect on academic performance. Moreover, questionnaire from the 2019-2020 cohort was analysed to determine dental students' perceptions about MTS. RESULTS: The lecture performance in the final examination of the second semester for the 2019-2020 cohort was significantly higher than that of the first semester (pre-COVID-19) and that for the 2018-2019 cohort. However, the laboratory performance in the midterm examination of the second semester for the 2019-2020 cohort was significantly lower than that for the 2018-2019 cohort and showed no difference in the final examination of the first semester. The questionnaires revealed that the majority of students displayed positive attitudes towards MTS and agreed with the importance of peer discussion during laboratory dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Asynchronous online learning for anatomy lecture may be beneficial for dental students; however, a smaller dissection group accompanied by reduced peer discussion may temporarily exert negative effects on their laboratory performance at the beginning of the application. Furthermore, more dental students exhibited positive perceptions towards smaller dissection groups. These findings could illuminate the learning condition of dental students in anatomy education.

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INTRODUCTION: This cadaveric dye study assesses the effect of volume and number of injections on the spread of solution after ultrasound-guided rectus sheath injections. In addition, this study evaluates the impact of the arcuate line on solution spread. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultrasound-guided rectus sheath injections were performed on seven cadavers on both sides of the abdomen, for a total of 14 injections. Three cadavers received one injection of 30 mL of a solution consisting of bupivacaine and methylene blue at the level of the umbilicus. Four cadavers received two injections of 15 mL of the same solution, one midway between the xiphoid process and umbilicus and one midway between the umbilicus and pubis. RESULTS: Six cadavers were successfully dissected and analyzed for a total of 12 injections, while one cadaver was excluded due to poor tissue quality that was inadequate for dissection and analysis. There was a significant spread of solution with all injections caudally to the pubis without limitation by the arcuate line. However, a single 30 mL injection showed inconsistent spread to the subcostal margin in four of six injections, including in a cadaver with an ostomy. A double injection of 15 mL showed consistent spread from xiphoid to pubis in five of six injections, except in a cadaver with a hernia. CONCLUSIONS: Injections deep to the rectus abdominis muscle, using the same technique as an ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block, achieve spread along a large and continuous fascial plane without limitation by the arcuate line and may provide coverage of the entire anterior abdomen. A large volume is necessary for complete coverage and spread is improved with multiple injections. We suggest that two injections with a total volume of at least 30 mL per side may be needed to achieve adequate coverage in the absence of preexisting abdominal abnormalities.

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The use of human cadavers is beneficial in teaching gross human anatomy, training, and development in medicine. Fresh-frozen cadavers initially exhibit natural colour, tenderness, and flexibility. They also present innumerable difficulties, including the requirement of freezers for storage and a few weeks' work time because of fast decay. The risk of infection is also significant. A possible choice for fresh-frozen cadavers is embalmed cadavers. The requested characteristic needed for successful embalming is acceptable long-term structural preservation of organs and tissues with minimal deformity and prevention of outward aspects. Scientists are trying to develop an ideal embalming solution to preserve the human body. Such a solution renders the flexibility of internal organs, preventing dryness, and reducing fungal or bacterial growth. Cadavers should be in a condition comparable to that of an unembalmed cadaver, and the chemicals used in the solution should not be harmful to persons during manipulation. The promising results have been obtained by the use of different embalming techniques by many faculties of medicine as a tool to enhance the teaching of anatomy to students.

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This study assessed death anxiety (Death Anxiety Questionnaire, DAQ) and psychophysical- (psychological and physical) symptom experience following cadaveric dissection among the Silent Mentor Program (SMP) participants before thawing (T1), after the suturing, dressing and coffining session (T2), and one month post-program (T3). There was a significant decline in the total DAQ score comparing T1 and T2 (t = 7.69, p < 0.001) and T2 and T3 (t = 5.00, p < 0.001) and T1 and T3 (t = 10.80, p < 0.001). There was a significant reduction in total psychological-symptom score comparing T1 and T2 (t = 4.92, p < 0.001) and between T1 and T3 (t = 4.85, p < 0.001). However, for the physical-symptom experience, a significant increase in the physical-symptom score between T1 and T2 (t = -3.25, p = 0.001) was reported but the scores reduced significantly one month after the program (T2-T3; t = 4.12, p < 0.001). The mentoring concept of the SMP program has beneficial effects on improving attitude towards death and psychophysical-symptom experience associated with cadaver dissection.

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PURPOSE: Extended retromuscular dissection performed for abdominal wall reconstruction in complex abdominal wall repair has progressively exposed the anatomy between the peritoneal layer and abdominal wall muscles. This study aimed to assess the morphology and distribution of preperitoneal fat in a cadaveric model and its influence in retromuscular preperitoneal dissections. METHODS: Thirty frozen cadaver torsos were dissected by posterior component separation. The shape of the preperitoneal fat was identified, and the dimensions and more significant distances were calculated. RESULTS: The results showed that the preperitoneal fat resembles a trident, exists along the midline under the linea alba, and expands in the epigastric area into a rhomboid shape. The fatty triangle was found to be a part of this rhomboid. Caudally, the midline preperitoneal fat widened under the arcuate line to reach the Retzius space. Laterally, the Bogros space communicated the root of the trident with the paracolic gutters, Toldt's fascia, and pararenal fats, forming the lateral prong of the trident. The peritoneum not covered by the preperitoneal fatty trident was easy to break. Three pathways could be tracked following the distribution of this fat that facilitated the dissection of the preperitoneal space to prepare the landing zone of the meshes in hernia repair. CONCLUSION: The concept of preperitoneal fatty trident may be of practical assistance to perform various hernia procedures, from the simple ventral hernia repair to the more complex preperitoneal ventral repair or posterior component separation techniques. The consistency of this layer allows us to follow three specific pathways to find our plane between the peritoneum and muscle layers to extend the preperitoneal dissection.

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CONTEXT: With the surge of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]), the modality of teaching anatomy has shifted from in-person cadaveric dissection to virtual lessons for incoming first-year medical students. As a result, we aim to assess the impact that this curriculum change has on student perspectives. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand the relative effect of a virtual anatomy course implemented during the pandemic (2019-2020) on the confidence, skills, and perspectives of first-year medical students compared to medical students who had traditional in-person anatomy at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan SOM) in Stratford, New Jersey. METHODS: The authors developed a 14-question survey to target gross anatomy students of the Classes of 2023 and 2024 at Rowan SOM. The Class of 2024 had a virtual anatomy lab compared to the Class of 2023, who had an in-person anatomy lab in their first year of medical school. The responses were analyzed to understand the difference between a hands-on cadaver lab and a virtual anatomy lab utilizing SPSS. RESULTS: The survey was administered to approximately 400 people, from which we received 149 responses (37.3%). Among all responses, 36.2% (n=54) belonged to the Class of 2023 who encountered hands-on cadaver experience, whereas 63.8% (n=95) belonged to the Class of 2024 who gained virtual anatomy lab experience. An independent t-test statistical analysis was utilized. Under the confidence domain, when students were asked about the understanding of trauma after their respective anatomy labs, 64.0% of the Class of 2023 (n=50) showed significantly higher confidence with p<0.001, compared to 15.4% for the Class of 2024 (n=78). Under the skills domain, the Class of 2023 (n=50) felt more comfortable with ultrasound (64.0%), identifying all of the pertinent anatomical structures and their respective locations on imaging (72.0%), and identifying the pathology (90.0%) with respective p values of <0.001, <0.001, and 0.004. Only 36.9% of Class of 2024 respondents shared similar comfort with ultrasound (n=84), 30.9% identifying pertinent anatomical structures (n=84) and 65.4% in identifying pathology (n=84). Under the attitude domain, the Class of 2023 (n=50) had more respect toward the human body with their hands-on cadaver experience (88.0%) than the Class of 2024 (n=89, 33.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Based on current results, it can be established that medical students who had in-person cadaveric dissection had a favorable attitude toward their anatomy course compared to students who had virtual anatomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Background and Objective@#Neuroanatomy is both terrifying to learn and problematic to teach, and the different methods of neuroanatomical education have their own strengths and weaknesses. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the perception of undergraduate medical students towards the combined use of plastinated and formalinpreserved brain specimen in their neuroanatomy course. @*Methods@#A bridging program was designed for students whose medical education was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to reinforce the knowledge and understanding of anatomy that they acquired in a virtual environment. A total of 175 first year medical students participated in this learning activity, which included seven stations in neuroanatomy spread across two hours, and covered the anatomy of the circle of Willis, brainstem, cranial nerves, spinal cord, internal cerebrum, and external cerebrum. To evaluate short-term learning, the students were asked to take a quiz containing 10 multiple-choice questions before and after the learning activity. In addition, the students also answered a survey containing 11 Likert-type questions asking about their perception of the learningactivity. @*Results@#Following the learning activity, mean test scores increased from 4.73 (SD 1.74) to 5.32 (SD 1.52; mean difference 0.59, p = 0.008). Majority of the students (mean 81%, range 43-93%) had a neutral or positive perception of plastinated brain specimen, and on factor analysis, plastinated brain specimen were found to be both practical and useful for learning neuroanatomy. However, the participants perceived plastinated brain specimen alone to be insufficient for learning neuroanatomy, and a multimodal approach to learning neuroanatomy is ideal. @*Conclusion@#Plastinated brain specimens were found to be an effective complement to formalin-preserved brain, and these should be used by medical schools when designing neuroanatomy learning activities for their students.

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The facial artery is a branch of the external carotid artery, one of the major arteries supplying blood to the head and neck. The normal route of the facial artery follows a well-defined path. It typically arises from the external carotid artery, above the superior border of the hyoid bone. During its route, the facial artery gives off branches in the neck, mandible, buccal region, and face. This case report explores a rare anatomical variation of the facial artery characterized by an unusual termination point above the upper lip as the superior labial artery, found during a routine cadaveric dissection. While variations in the course of the facial artery are documented, this particular deviation, with its termination anterior to the typical endpoint, presents a unique anatomical variation.

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A 90-year-old white male cadaver was found to have an incarcerated left inguinal hernia (IH). Although IHs are a very common pathology, the size and extent of this IH make it a unique case study. Upon gross dissection of the abdominal and pelvic cavities, 79 cm of small and large bowel was removed from the scrotal sac. The extent of the herniation had enlarged the scrotal sac to over 14 cm in both height and width and over 10 cm in depth. The herniation also caused the penis to become buried in the skin and not visible.

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Background: Novice neurosurgeons require neurosurgical technique training, but the current method is demanding and time consuming. Therefore, it is crucial to perform training using an appropriate and informative method. In this report, we describe our attempts to provide training in neurosurgical techniques using goat in vivo brain model and to demonstrate the effectiveness of this model. Methods: Under general anesthesia, the surgery was performed on a male goat in the prone position. A midline liner skin incision was made in the scalp, six burr holes were drilled, a craniectomy was performed, and the dura was incised in an arcuate fashion. We attempted the interhemispheric approach and a retrosigmoid approach. Results: It was confirmed that common neurosurgical approaches are achievable in this model. Furthermore, anatomical structures such as nerves and blood vessels were similar to those of humans. Moreover, the goat brain was similar in color and texture to that of humans. Conclusion: Unlike a cadaver brain, in vivo brain requires hemostasis and careful dissection, which provides the surgeons a realistic experience of actual neurosurgery.

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For medical students the dissection course is the preferred method to learn gross anatomy. However, the added value of active cadaver dissection on knowledge gain in multimodal curricula offering a diversity of e-learning resources is unknown. The Covid-19-related lockdown forced educators to replace the dissection course by e-learning resources. At the end of the summer term 2020 loosening of pandemic-related regulations allowed offering a compact, voluntary active dissection course of the head-neck region to first-year medical students at Hannover Medical School. A study was conducted comparing a dissection group (G1, n = 115) and a non-dissection group (G2, n = 23). Knowledge gain and confidence level were measured with a multiple-choice (MC-)test. The use of e-learning resources was recorded. A questionnaire measured motivation, interest and level of concern regarding Covid-19 and anatomy teaching. No differences between groups were found regarding motivation and interest in anatomy of the head-neck region. G2, however, had significantly higher concerns regarding the Covid-19 pandemic than G1. Neither before nor after the educational intervention, differences in the scores of the MC-test were found. However, after the course G1 answered more MC-questions with highest confidence level than G2 (6.7 ± 6.0 vs. 3.6 ± 4.6, p < 0.05) and demonstrated by trend an increased improvement in the scores of image-based questions (30.8 ± 18.2 % vs. 17.1 ± 14.8 %, p = 0.06). In general, frequent users of online quizzes, a part of the e-learning resources, scored significantly better in the knowledge test. Active dissection improves self-assurance to identify anatomical structures and should be re-implemented in multimodal, blended-learning-based anatomical curricula in the post-pandemic era.

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The purpose of this article is to form a basic guide for beginning the cadaver dissection training programs focused on oculoplastic surgical procedures. Ours was a collaborative study between the departments of Ophthalmology and Anatomy in a tertiary care teaching institute. We formed a step-wise approach to begin the cadaver dissection focused on the oculoplastic surgical procedures. The basics of cadaver procurement, processing, and preparation for dissections were described. The operative requirements of trainees, surgical handling of cadavers, and basic oculoplastic surgical steps were discussed. The types of embalming (cadaver preservation process) and steps have been described in detail. We have emphasized the preoperative discussion about the proposed dissections using standard teachings and skull models for easier understanding. Additional helping tools like soft embalming and injectable substances for better intra-dissection understanding (intra-arterial, intravenous and orbital injections) have been described. Post-dissection cadaver handing and soft-tissue disposal protocols have also been described. Overall, the cadaver dissections provide holistic surgical learning for the residents, specialty trainees, and practitioners. This article may act as a basic step-wise guide for starting the cadaver-based oculoplastics lab dissection in various institutes and workshops.

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The anatomy of the equine distal limb (EDL) is both complex and important to veterinary clinical practice. First-year veterinary students (VM1s) often struggle to adequately understand it. Two third-year veterinary students collaborated with instructors to create an instructional video to facilitate first-year students' comprehension of EDL anatomy. The video was offered to all VM1s. Learning outcomes were assessed via practical exams. Exam scores on EDL structures were compared between students who did (video) and students who did not (no video) watch the video. Students' laboratory experiences and confidence were evaluated with a post-exam survey. The third-year students documented their experiences while producing the video. Eighty percent of VM1s viewed the video; 91% rated the video as very valuable. The video improved student confidence during the practical exam by 9%, and 89% of surveyed students indicated the video positively impacted their exam grade. One item score was significantly improved in the video group (p < .001), as was the score of the five questions combined (p < .001). As expected, overall practical exam scores were not statistically different. Student collaborators indicated that participation reinforced their knowledge while enhancing their professional development. Student collaboration was a beneficial strategy for instructional support development that positively impacted student affect and also generated opportunities for the involved students' professional growth.

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Purpose: To observe and count the probability of presence and the anatomy of the vessel arising via the inferior margin of the pancreas and traveling within the transverse mesocolon, and analyze its clinical significance. Methods: Patients who underwent radical operation for transverse colon cancer or descending colon cancer from January 2020 to November 2021 and a nonspecific cadaver were included in this study. We observed and recorded intraoperatively for the probability of presence and the anatomy of the vessel arising via the inferior margin of the pancreas and traveling within the transverse mesocolon. And its property was determined by tissue slice. Results: A total of 84 patients were included, of which, the vessel was observed in 72 (85.7%) patients, and its property was confirmed by tissue slice of one patient after surgery. The vessel was also observed in a nonspecific cadaver. Originating from transverse pancreatic artery, often one, occasionally two, rarely three vessels arose via the inferior margin of pancreas and supplied the left transverse colon. Artery and vein parallel ran, and it was difficult to separate them due to their small diameter, but the vessels may thicken under certain conditions for increasing blood supply. Conclusion: The vessel, which is not yet reported and named in the literature, can be called the subpancreatic transverse colon vessel, which has a high probability of presence in humans and may be of great significance to human physiological anatomy, surgery, and oncology, and deserves recognition and attention from surgeons.

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Case-based cadaver dissection offers students unique opportunities to blend traditional anatomic knowledge acquisition with clinical reasoning. Twelve physical therapy students completed surveys centered on case-based dissections. Case-based cadaver dissections were defined in this study as multiple clinical vignettes that required students to use the accessible cadavers to solve clinically based problems. The results of the study provide preliminary evidence that students perceive case-based cadaver dissections as beneficial to their anatomy education and beneficial to the development of their clinical reasoning skills. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01540-x.