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Review
. 2021;3(4):924-936.
doi: 10.1007/s42399-021-00778-7. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

The Cadaver Conundrum: Sourcing and Anatomical Embalming of Human Dead Bodies by Medical Schools during and after COVID-19 Pandemic: Review and Recommendations

S S S N Rajasekhar  1 , V Dinesh Kumar  1
Affiliations
Review

The Cadaver Conundrum: Sourcing and Anatomical Embalming of Human Dead Bodies by Medical Schools during and after COVID-19 Pandemic: Review and Recommendations

S S S N Rajasekhar et al. SN Compr Clin Med. 2021.

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has posed a new challenge for medical schools across the world regarding the acceptance of donated and unclaimed dead bodies for academic purpose. Uncertainty of the COVID-19 status among the donated bodies poses a health risk for embalming personnel and medical students who handle the embalmed cadavers. There is a paucity of literature delineating the criteria for accepting or rejecting the bodies during COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, there is no recommended standard operating procedure for anatomical embalming during COVID-19. We propose certain criteria for accepting and rejecting the human dead bodies for anatomical embalming. And we propose some technical modifications to the conventional procedure of formalin-based anatomical embalming. A guarded approach and diligent screening of donated bodies is the way forward during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Body donation program; COVID-19 pandemic; Cadaver; Embalming; Medical education.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest/Competing InterestsOn behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic of protocol to be followed for anatomical embalming during and immediately after COVID-19 pandemic
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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