The chemicals between us—First results of the cluster analyses on anatomy embalming procedures in the German-speaking countries

Kerner AM, Biedermann U, Bräuer L, Caspers S, Doll S, Engelhardt M, Filler TJ, Ghebremedhin E, Gundlach S, Hayn-Leichsenring GU, Heermann S, Hettwer-Steeger I, Hiepe L, Hirt B, Hirtler L, Hörmann R, Kulisch C, Lange T, Leube R, Meuser AH, Müller-Gerbl M, Nassenstein C, Neckel PH, Nimtschke U, Paulsen F, Prescher A, Pretterklieber M, Schliwa S, Schmidt K, Schmiedl A, Schomerus C, Schulze-Tanzil G, Schumacher U, Schumann S, Spindler V, Streicher J, Tschernig T, Unverzagt A, Valentiner U, Viebahn C, Wedel T, Weigner J, Weninger WW, Westermann J, Weyers I, Waschke J, Hammer N (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

DOI: 10.1002/ase.2285

Abstract

Hands-on courses utilizing preserved human tissues for educational training offer an important pathway to acquire basic anatomical knowledge. Owing to the reevaluation of formaldehyde limits by the European Commission, a joint approach was chosen by the German-speaking anatomies in Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to find commonalities among embalming protocols and infrastructure. A survey comprising 537 items was circulated to all anatomies in German-speaking Europe. Clusters were established for “ethanol”-, formaldehyde-based (“FA”), and “other” embalming procedures, depending on the chemicals considered the most relevant for each protocol. The logistical framework, volumes of chemicals, and infrastructure were found to be highly diverse between the groups and protocols. Formaldehyde quantities deployed per annum were three-fold higher in the “FA” (223 L/a) compared to the “ethanol” (71.0 L/a) group, but not for “other” (97.8 L/a), though the volumes injected per body were similar. “FA” was strongly related to table-borne air ventilation and total fixative volumes ≤1000 L. “Ethanol” was strongly related to total fixative volumes >1000 L, ceiling- and floor-borne air ventilation, and explosion-proof facilities. Air ventilation was found to be installed symmetrically in the mortuary and dissection facilities. Certain predictors exist for the interplay between the embalming used in a given infrastructure and technical measures. The here-established cluster analysis may serve as decision supportive tool when considering altering embalming protocols or establishing joint protocols between institutions, following a best practice approach to cater toward best-suited tissue characteristics for educational purposes, while simultaneously addressing future demands on exposure limits.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Medizinische Universität Graz Austria (AT) Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf Germany (DE) Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg Germany (DE) Johannes Kepler Universität (JKU) Linz Austria (AT) Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) Germany (DE) Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Germany (DE) Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel Germany (DE) Freie Universität Berlin Germany (DE) Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main Germany (DE) Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Jena Germany (DE) Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin Rostock Germany (DE) Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Medizinische Universität Wien Austria (AT) Medizinische Universität Innsbruck Austria (AT) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Aachen (UKA) Germany (DE) Universität Basel Switzerland (CH) Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden Germany (DE) Universität Leipzig Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School Germany (DE) Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität, Nürnberg Germany (DE) Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Germany (DE) Karl Landsteiner Privatuniversität für Gesundheitswissenschaften GmbH Austria (AT) Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes (UKS) Germany (DE) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Germany (DE) Universität zu Lübeck Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kerner, A.M., Biedermann, U., Bräuer, L., Caspers, S., Doll, S., Engelhardt, M.,... Hammer, N. (2023). The chemicals between us—First results of the cluster analyses on anatomy embalming procedures in the German-speaking countries. Anatomical Sciences Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2285

MLA:

Kerner, Alexander Michael, et al. "The chemicals between us—First results of the cluster analyses on anatomy embalming procedures in the German-speaking countries." Anatomical Sciences Education (2023).

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