Knowledge levels and attitudes of medical faculty students related to whole body donation in Türkiye.

BACKGROUND: Cadaver is a very important educational material for medical faculty students, students of health sciences, residents of any specialty in medicine and specialists. In developed countries, cadavers are mainly obtained by individual donations. However, like in other developing or underdeveloped countries, whole-body donations for cadaveric use in Türkiye are extremely scarce. This study sought to investigate the knowledge and awareness levels of medical faculty students about body donation and the factors that might influence their attitudes to body donation. The aim of the study is, with the results of the questionnaire, to raise public awareness for whole-body donation by creating public spots and by giving place in the official website of the Ministry of Health and make medical faculties to put lectures about body donation and its importance into their anatomy curriculum. METHODS: A 31-item questionnaire with close-ended statements was administered to 291 students at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty. RESULTS: Only two of the participants (0.7%) stated that they had already donated their bodies to be used as a cadaver. Of note, those who reported considering whole body donation had higher maternal education levels (p = 0.002). The presence or absence of religious belief and the degree of religiosity were also significant factors, for significantly higher rates of non-believers and those who defined themselves as having a low degree of religiosity were in favor of body donation (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the religion of Islam, we should inform the relevant media that there is no harm in donating a body. In addition, considering the effect of mother's education level on the decisions of young people on this issue, we can state that we see once again how important women's education is in order to make progress in every field.

Facial anatomy.

Dermatologic problems of the face affect both function and aesthetics, which are based on complex anatomical features. Treating dermatologic problems while preserving the aesthetics and functions of the face requires knowledge of normal anatomy. When performing successfully invasive procedures of the face, it is essential to understand its underlying topographic anatomy. This chapter presents the anatomy of the facial musculature and neurovascular structures in a systematic way with some clinically important aspects. We describe the attachments of the mimetic and masticatory muscles and emphasize their functions and nerve supply. We highlight clinically relevant facial topographic anatomy by explaining the course and location of the sensory and motor nerves of the face and facial vasculature with their relations. Additionally, this chapter reviews the recent nomenclature of the branching pattern of the facial artery.

Denervation point for neuromuscular blockade on lateral pectoral nerves: a cadaver study.

PURPOSE: The objective of our study was to clarify the topography of the medial and lateral pectoral nerves (LPNs) and the vascularity in the infraclavicular fossa and to propose an ideal injection point for neuromuscular blockade of the pectoralis major (PM) muscle. METHODS: The pectoral muscles and their nerves were examined bilaterally on 10 formalin-fixed cadavers. The PM muscle was dissected from its clavicular origin and sternocostal attachments. It was reflected superolaterally to expose the pectoralis minor muscle and neurovascular bundle at the infraclavicular fossa. We took the measurements to identify a landmark point and reach the neurovascular bundle from an overlying point on the skin. RESULTS: The LPN was closely related to the thoracoacromial artery and veins on the lower surface of the PM muscle and was visible under the muscle fascia as a neurovascular bundle. The point where the pM line (perpendicular to midsternal line beginning from the inferior border of the jugular notch) transects the neurovascular bundle was sufficiently close to the point at which the neurovascular bundle enters the PM muscle. Hence, this point was determined as the denervation point in all cadaveric dissections. This denervation point is 2.81 ± 0.33 cm distant vertically from the 1/3 medial part of the clavicle and 8.12 ± 1.09 cm distant horizontally from the midsternal line. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified an injection point which may be and suitable and safe location to administer neuromuscular motor blockade of the pectoralis muscles with a percutaneous local anesthetic agent in some clinical pathologies requiring elective denervation.

Innervation pattern of the pronator teres muscle.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the innervation patterns of the pronator teres muscle (PTM), which is used as a donor in muscle transfer. METHODS: This study was conducted from 2001-2006 at the Anatomy Department of the Medical Faculty of Cerrahpasa, University of Istanbul. There were 34 upper extremities of 17 fixed adult cadavers dissected. RESULTS: The classical pattern of innervation by the superior and inferior branches of the median nerve was observed in 19 of the cases (55.9%). In 4 forearms (11.8%) one branch in 10 (29.4%), 3 branches (2 humeral, 1 ulnar) and in one (2.9%), 4 branches (3 humeral, 1 ulnar) were found to be innervating the muscles. CONCLUSION: In all cases, the humeral and ulnar head of the PTM was innervated separately. These variations are of great importance during transfer of PTM.

The muscular branching patterns of the ulnar nerve to the flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor digitorum profundus muscles.

The branching pattern of the ulnar nerve in the forearm is of great importance in anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve for decompression after neuropathy of cubital tunnel syndrom and malformations resulting from distal end fractures of the humerus. In this study, 37 formalin-fixed forearms were used to demonstrate the muscular branching patterns from the main ulnar nerve to the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (FCU) and ulnar part of the flexor digitorum profundus muscle (FDP). Eight branching patterns were found and classified into four groups according to the number of the muscular branches leaving the main ulnar nerve. Two (Group I) and three (Group II) branches left the main ulnar nerve in 18 and 17 forearms respectively. The remaining two specimens had four (Group III) and five (Group IV) branches each. Usually one or two branches were associated with the innervation of the FCU. However, in 2 cases, three and in one, four branches to FCU were observed. The FDP received a single branch in all cases, except in four, all of which had two branches. In six forearms, a common trunk was observed arising from the ulnar nerve to supply the FCU and FDP. The distribution of the muscular branches to the revealed muscles was outlined in figures and the distance of the origin of these branches from the interepicondylar line was measured in millimeters. The first muscular branch leaving the main ulnar nerve was the FCU-branch in all specimens. The terminal muscular branch of the ulnar nerve to the forearm muscles arose at the proximal 1/3 of the forearm in all specimens. In 7 forearms, Martin-Gruber anastomosis in form of median to ulnar was observed.

Ramification pattern of the thenar branch of the median nerve entering the thenar fascia and the distribution of the terminal branches in the thenar musculature: Anatomic cadaver study in 144 hands.

Knowledge of the anatomy of the median nerve is important in surgery of the palmar aspect of the hand. The purpose of our study was to investigate the ramification pattern of the thenar branch before entering the thenar fascia and the distribution of the terminal branches in the thenar musculature. The observations were carried out on 144 hands of 74 dissecting room cadavers. According to the number of the thenar branches entering the thenar fascia we classified our specimens into four types. In 121 hands (84%, Group I) the thenar branch piercing the thenar fascia was a single trunk. In 19 hands (13.2%, Group II) two branches; in three (2.1%; Group III), three branches; and in one hand (0.7%; Group IV), four branches were identified entering the thenar fascia. Accessory thenar nerve was found in 8.3% of hands. The further division of each branch to its terminal branches was investigated in detail. Our results show that the more the number of thenar branches entering the thenar fascia, the less the terminal branching. Because more than one branch was seen in 16% of the specimens, meticulous dissection is required for preventing injury of the thenar branches before entering the thenar fascia.