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Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.) Mar 2024
Abstracts Presented at the Winter Meeting of the British Association of Clinical Anatomists on 19th December 2023, at the Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
PubMed: 38556791
DOI: 10.1002/ca.24157 -
Cureus Feb 2024The field of forensic anthropology is characterised by its ongoing development and growth. Forensic anatomy is a burgeoning discipline that focuses on the analysis and... (Review)
Review
The field of forensic anthropology is characterised by its ongoing development and growth. Forensic anatomy is a burgeoning discipline that focuses on the analysis and identification of both preserved and unpreserved human body parts, both in deceased individuals and the living. This subject plays a crucial role in establishing the four key factors of forensic anthropology, namely sex, age, race, and height. The objective of this research endeavour was to evaluate the significance of anatomical information in the process of forensic age estimation. The researchers established the inclusion criteria in accordance with the globally recognised Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome(PICOS) framework, as advised by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. The research included many methodologies in order to ascertain the age. Upon conducting a comprehensive review of the existing literature pertaining to anatomical knowledge in the field of forensic age estimate, we have identified many notable applications. These include the utilisation of various anatomical features such as the dental pulp chamber, fingerprints, acetabulum, sternal end of the fourth rib, as well as hand and wrist bones for the purpose of age estimation. It is important for anatomists and other forensic scientists to engage in collaborative efforts to facilitate the exchange of ideas and ensure thorough investigations. This cooperation is particularly crucial in areas where anatomical sciences play a significant role in forensic science and investigation. Nevertheless, in order to mitigate the potential for estimating error, it is still advisable to use a multi-factorial evaluation approach that involves examining many body areas.
PubMed: 38550461
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55080 -
International Orthopaedics Jul 2024Bone growth is a fascinating process, primarily due to its complexity. Equally engaging is the history of its study, which, however, remains unknown to most anatomists...
INTRODUCTION
Bone growth is a fascinating process, primarily due to its complexity. Equally engaging is the history of its study, which, however, remains unknown to most anatomists and surgeons.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A literature search was performed in original publications and historical sources.
RESULTS
The early history of bone growth study may be divided into two periods. Firstly, the experimental one, between 1722 and 1847, which consisted in the study of bone growth by the drilling of benchmark holes into the diaphysis, and examination of growing bones in madder-fed animals. In the course of one century, four French scientists (Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau, Marie-Jean-Pierre Flourens, Gaspard Auguste Brullé and Frédéric Léopold Hugueny) and one British researcher (John Hunter) proved experimentally that the longitudinal growth of long bones occurred only at its epiphyseal ends and their final shape resulted from apposition and resorption processes taking place simultaneously both on the periosteal and intramedullary surfaces of the bone. In the second, the microscopic period (1836-1875), the physeal growth cartilage was discovered and described in detail, including its importance for the longitudinal growth of long bones. The first description of growth cartilage was published by a Swiss anatomist Miescher in 1836. Subsequently, this structure was studied by a number of English, German and French anatomists and surgeons. This whole period was concluded by Alfred Kölliker´s extensive study of bone resorption and its significance for typical bone shapes and Karl Langer´s study of the vascular supply of the growing and mature bone.
CONCLUSION
Research by French, English, German and Swiss scientists between 1727 and 1875 yielded fundamental insights into the growth of long bones, most of which are still valid today.
Topics: History, 19th Century; Bone Development; History, 18th Century; Humans; Animals
PubMed: 38528251
DOI: 10.1007/s00264-024-06157-w -
Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.) Jul 2024The femoral epicondyle is an anatomical bony landmark essential for surgeons and anatomists, but there are discrepancies between the two fields when using this term. In... (Review)
Review
The femoral epicondyle is an anatomical bony landmark essential for surgeons and anatomists, but there are discrepancies between the two fields when using this term. In current orthopedic surgery, it commonly denotes the small bony prominence of the femoral condyle. Given the derivation, "epicondyle" should be a region projecting laterally from the articular surface rather than a point. These discrepancies in usage are found not only between the fields but also in the literature. This article reviews the narrative definition of "epicondyle of the femur" in surgery and the evolution of the term in anatomy. The outcomes of the review suggest a relationship between the differing perceptions of the epicondyle and the evolution of the term. In reports of studies related to the epicondyle, it is strongly recommended that the definition of the word is clearly stated, with an understanding of its evolution.
Topics: Humans; Femur; Terminology as Topic; Anatomic Landmarks
PubMed: 38520312
DOI: 10.1002/ca.24160 -
Anatomical Sciences Education Jun 2024Anatomical education is pivotal for medical students, and innovative technologies like augmented reality (AR) are transforming the field. This study aimed to enhance the...
Anatomical education is pivotal for medical students, and innovative technologies like augmented reality (AR) are transforming the field. This study aimed to enhance the interactive features of the AEducAR prototype, an AR tool developed by the University of Bologna, and explore its impact on human anatomy learning process in 130 second-year medical students at the International School of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Bologna. An interdisciplinary team of anatomists, maxillofacial surgeons, biomedical engineers, and educational scientists collaborated to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the study's objectives. Students used the updated version of AEducAR, named AEducAR 2.0, to study three anatomical topics, specifically the orbit zone, facial bones, and mimic muscles. AEducAR 2.0 offered two learning activities: one explorative and one interactive. Following each activity, students took a test to assess learning outcomes. Students also completed an anonymous questionnaire to provide background information and offer their perceptions of the activity. Additionally, 10 students participated in interviews for further insights. The results demonstrated that AEducAR 2.0 effectively facilitated learning and students' engagement. Students totalized high scores in both quizzes and declared to have appreciated the interactive features that were implemented. Moreover, interviews shed light on the interesting topic of blended learning. In particular, the present study suggests that incorporating AR into medical education alongside traditional methods might prove advantageous for students' academic and future professional endeavors. In this light, this study contributes to the growing research emphasizing the potential role of AR in shaping the future of medical education.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Young Adult; Anatomy; Augmented Reality; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Curriculum; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Educational Measurement; Interdisciplinary Studies; Learning; Students, Medical; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38520153
DOI: 10.1002/ase.2389 -
Anatomical Science International Mar 2024Unfortunately, the long-awaited revision of the official anatomical nomenclature, the Terminologia Anatomica 2 (TA2), which was issued in 2019 and after a referendum...
Unfortunately, the long-awaited revision of the official anatomical nomenclature, the Terminologia Anatomica 2 (TA2), which was issued in 2019 and after a referendum among the Member Societies officially approved by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists in 2020, is built on a new version of the Regular Anatomical Terminology (RAT) rules. This breaks with many traditional views of terminology. These changes in the Terminologia Anatomica of 1998 (TA98) met great resistance within many European Anatomical Societies and their members are not willing to use terms following the RAT rules. European anatomy teachers and scientists using traditional Latin in their teaching, textbooks and atlases will keep using the TA98. The German Anatomical Society (Anatomische Gesellschaft) recently announced the usage of the TA2023AG in curricular anatomical media such as textbooks and atlases, based on the TA98 and the Terminologia Neuroanatomica (TNA). We are preparing a more extensive improvement of the TA98, called Terminologia Anatomica Humana (TAH). This project is fully based on the noncontroversial terms of TA98, incorporating the recent digital version (2022) of the TNA from 2017. Further, it is completed with many new terms, including those in TA2, along with their definitions and relevant references, clinical terms, and correcting inconsistencies in the TA98. The TAH is still in process, but many chapters are already freely available at the IFAA Website in Fribourg ( https://ifaa.unifr.ch ) as is the digital version of the TNA.
PubMed: 38492195
DOI: 10.1007/s12565-024-00759-5 -
Cureus Feb 2024Introduction The liver is the largest gland in the body and shows wide variation in surface features. Knowledge of external features is essential for radiological...
Introduction The liver is the largest gland in the body and shows wide variation in surface features. Knowledge of external features is essential for radiological investigations and during abdominal surgeries. Morphological variation of the liver should be considered for better patient outcomes. Segmental anatomy has received more attention for segmental resection and transplant surgery. The present study aimed to determine variations in external features of the liver and indicate its clinical importance. Materials and method A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 52 specimens of human cadaveric livers, obtained during routine dissection in the anatomy departments of various medical colleges of Gujarat, India. Livers were examined for their morphology (lobes, notches, fissures, grooves), including their variations; pictures were taken; and results were tabulated. Result In the present study, 28 (53.84%) livers were normal in appearance in reference to surfaces, borders, lobes, and fissures. Specifically, 3.84% of livers were found with a very small left lobe, and 1.92% of livers with a large saddle-shaped left lobe. Five (9.61%) livers show the presence of Riedel's lobe, three (5.76%) livers show deep renal impression, and 13 (25%) livers show grooves on its antero-superior surface. One or two extra fissures were present in 28 livers, either present on the visceral surface of the right lobe, between the caudate process and papillary process of the caudate lobe or quadrate lobe. Pons hepatis was found in 10 (19.22%) livers. Tongue-like projection of the right lobe of the liver was observed in five (9.61%) livers, while an elongated left lobe was observed in three (5.76%) livers. Conclusion Livers show wide variations in their surface features. The variations observed in the present study will be of great help to anatomists, radiologists, and surgeons during diagnosis or surgical procedures.
PubMed: 38465106
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.53873 -
Morphologie : Bulletin de L'Association... Jun 2024Mesenteric fat, a type of intraperitoneal adipose tissue, plays a critical role in protection and the immune response. Loss of mesenteric fat is a known consequence of a...
Mesenteric fat, a type of intraperitoneal adipose tissue, plays a critical role in protection and the immune response. Loss of mesenteric fat is a known consequence of a variety of clinical conditions; however, visual documentation of this rare occurrence is not available in the literature searched. Here we report a case of significant loss of mesenteric fat identified during educational dissection of a 79-year-old male fresh frozen donor cadaver, causing the mesenteric folds to appear transparent. The gross anatomical characteristics, clinical importance, and educational significance of this abnormality are described in this report. Knowledge of this condition may be of interest to clinicians, and documentation could benefit anatomists and educators dissecting and teaching in the laboratory setting.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Mesentery; Cadaver; Dissection; Adipose Tissue; Anatomy; Intra-Abdominal Fat; Clinical Relevance
PubMed: 38458142
DOI: 10.1016/j.morpho.2024.100771 -
Annals of Anatomy = Anatomischer... Jun 2024The relevance of anatomical dissection in instructing anatomy to medical, dental, and other health science students is indisputable. Ethiopian anatomists encountered...
BACKGROUND
The relevance of anatomical dissection in instructing anatomy to medical, dental, and other health science students is indisputable. Ethiopian anatomists encountered challenges in obtaining human bodies for anatomy education and research, both prior to and following the COVID-19 outbreak. The challenges intensified during the pandemic, significantly affecting anatomy education in Ethiopia. This study seeks to investigate the sources of bodies for anatomy, spanning the periods before and after COVID-19, with a particular focus on identifying the primary challenges associated with sourcing of bodies in Ethiopia.
METHODS
Fifty (50) anatomists completed a survey distributed to ten (10) randomly chosen medical institutions in Ethiopia. The survey gathered information on the body profile (number of bodies, age, sex, sources, and methods of body disposal), and the challenges faced during the sourcing of bodies in the years 2018 and 2023.
RESULTS
A total of sixty-three (63) bodies were used by the sampled medical institutions between 2018 and 2023 academic years. All (100%) of the bodies used were unclaimed human bodies. Most (66.7%) of these bodies were males. The majority (65.5%) of these bodies were sourced from Tikur Anbessa hospital in Addis Ababa. None (0%) of the sampled medical institutions had body donation programs. Disposal of human tissues encompassed various methods, including the retention of skeletons, prosection of vital organs, and burial of remaining tissues. Economic constraints and the absence of a legal framework document were the main challenges in acquiring bodies in the pre-pandemic period. The COVID-19 pandemic prevention policies and the civil war further exacerbated the challenges in sourcing of bodies for anatomy dissections during the post-pandemic period.
CONCLUSION
The reliance on unclaimed human bodies for anatomy education and research in Ethiopian medical institutions mirrors a common practice across many African countries. The authors suggest the development of a legislative framework or operational guidelines, coupled with empowering the medical institutions to outsource their own funding that will ultimately lead to an increased number of bodies available for anatomical dissection. Over time, implementation and promotion of body donation programs may also resolve body shortages for anatomy education in Ethiopia.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Ethiopia; Anatomy; Male; Female; Pandemics; Cadaver; Adult; SARS-CoV-2; Dissection; Tissue and Organ Procurement; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Middle Aged; Pneumonia, Viral; Coronavirus Infections
PubMed: 38423228
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152234