(775.7) A Novel En Bloc Circulatory System Dissection: A Teaching Tool for Systems-Based Medical School Curricula

Poster Board Number: C7
Introduction: AAA has separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Even poster #s – 11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Katherine Gustilo (University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus), Maureen Stabio (University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus), Chelsea Goldberg (University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus), Chelsea Lohman Bonfiglio (University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus)

Introduction and

Objective:  With the transition to integrative, systems-based anatomical instruction in medical school curricula, the use of traditional, regionally-based, cadaveric dissection has decreased while the use of systems-based prosections has increased. Recent studies have demonstrated the value of such prosections for the nervous system through an en bloc extraction of the central nervous system. However, comparable approaches for the circulatory system have not been reported, and there are currently no dissection instructions for an en bloc circulatory system extraction that do not require polymer injection into vessels prior to embalming. Thus, the goal of this project was to prosect, extract, and preserve the circulatory system en bloc for long-term use in a systems-based integrated medical curriculum. 

Materials and

Methods:  One male cadaveric donor without documented vascular disease or pathology was used to extract the following structures in a single interconnected piece: the heart, more than 350 named arteries, 10 superficial veins, 21 veins of the portal system, the liver, and at least 27 major veins of the caval system. Vascular structures were carefully isolated from the surrounding tissues in each region of the body over the course of approximately 250 hours by a single dissector. Muscles, nerves and organ tissues were cleared from the vessels using common dissection tools, including scissors, forceps, probes, and scalpels. Extraction of vessels from bones required use of chisels, rib cutters, and an autopsy electric saw. Best approaches, challenges, and time-saving strategies were recorded.   

Results amp;

Conclusion:  The circulatory system was successfully extracted from the limbs, torso and head in a single piece after embalming without the need for advanced polymer injection. A detailed dissection guide with instructions and images was developed, so this dissection could be replicated. The cadaveric specimen will be plastinated in approximate anatomical position with small tags placed on all named vessels to allow for easy identification of each structure and long-term use.  

Significance and Implication: This prosection is a novel approach to meet the needs of changing medical school curricula by illustrating the complexity and continuity of the circulatory system as a whole system. The 3D display will allow students to access a real, anatomical model that comprehensively demonstrates the majority of important, named vessels, providing the necessary context to augment 2D images, vascular diagrams, and atlases. Subsequent investigations will evaluate the educational value of this model in a flipped-classroom approach.  Future plans also include surface scanning and 3D-printing the model to reproduce a less time-consuming replica. This reimagination of traditional dissection techniques has generated new avenues for illustrating the human body, even in an established field such as gross anatomy.