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Review
. 2021 Sep;105(350):196-203.
doi: 10.1016/j.morpho.2020.10.004. Epub 2020 Oct 19.

Post-COVID-19 pandemic: Standard operating procedures for gross anatomy laboratory in the new standard

O A Onigbinde  1 , A O Ajagbe  2 , O I Oyeniran  3 , T Chia  2
Affiliations
Review

Post-COVID-19 pandemic: Standard operating procedures for gross anatomy laboratory in the new standard

O A Onigbinde et al. Morphologie. 2021 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

The culture of cadaver dissection remains the most commonly used method of practical teaching and learning of human anatomy. Anatomist and medical professionals considered cadaver dissection as the gold standard for teaching and learning anatomy in detail. The increase seen in the establishment of new medical training institutions globally has consequently led to a proportionate increase in the sourcing for cadavers. Moreover, the surge in mortality rates following the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with no cure or approved vaccine has been a source of concern for academia, especially on the safety in the usage of cadavers for dissection. Notwithstanding, several countries continue to depend on unclaimed bodies as the primary source for cadavers, regardless of the cause of death. Besides, body donation is also usually reported to be strained during disease outbreaks thereby putting countries that depend solely on it in a dilemma. This study highlighted the recommended standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be imbibed in gross anatomy dissection halls during and post-COVID-19 pandemic.

La culture de la dissection sur cadavres reste la méthode la plus couramment utilisée pour l’enseignement pratique et l’apprentissage de l’anatomie humaine. Les anatomistes et les professionnels de la santé considéraient la dissection de cadavres comme « l’étalon-or » pour l’enseignement et l’apprentissage de l’anatomie en détail. L’augmentation des créations de nouvelles institutions de formation médicale dans le monde a par conséquent conduit à une augmentation proportionnelle de l’approvisionnement en cadavres. De plus, la flambée des taux de mortalité suite à la récente pandémie de coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) sans remède ni vaccin approuvé a été une source de préoccupation pour les universitaires, en particulier sur la sécurité de l’utilisation des cadavres pour la dissection. Néanmoins, plusieurs pays continuent de dépendre des corps non réclamés comme principale source de cadavres, quelle que soit la cause du décès. En outre, le don de corps serait généralement sollicité pendant les épidémies, mettant ainsi les pays qui en dépendent uniquement dans un dilemme. Cette étude a mis en évidence les procédures opératoires standard (SOP) recommandées à imbiber dans les salles de dissection de l’anatomie macroscopique pendant et après la pandémie de COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cadaver dissection; Gross anatomy; Medical education; Standard operating procedures.

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