Changing paradigms in anatomy teaching-learning during a pandemic: Modification of curricular delivery based on student perspectives.

Objectives: This study is designed to explore students' perception of major educational changes and challenges encountered during the pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of Anatomy online teaching. Feedback from the students will be utilized to reform the online sessions in Anatomy, and make them more engaging. Methods: This observational study includes 250 first-year undergraduate medical students attending online Anatomy classes during the pandemic. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed to seek student responses, including mode/hours of interaction, facilitating/hindering factors, and assessment in online teaching. The quantitative findings were expressed in percentages. The open-ended questions were subjected to qualitative analysis, and themes were identified. Results: The number of hours spent on online sessions per day showed an increase during the pandemic. Students most often interacted with peers (n=124) through social media (n = 97) to clarify queries. Students opted for both asynchronous (55%) and synchronous modes (45%) of learning. The qualitative analysis identified the following thematic categories: facilitating factors, hindering factors, and measures taken to overcome hindering factors in online learning. Conclusion: There should be a balance between synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods to provide a better learning pace. Incorporation of more self-directed learning strategies would motivate students to learn better. The study concludes that online teaching should be designed to keep student feedback in mind, and tailored to suit student learning needs.

Morphology of the papillary muscles and the chordae tendineae of the ventricles of adult human hearts.

INTRODUCTION: The papillary muscles (PM) play a vital role in atrioventricular (AV) valve function. The PM and their chordae tendineae (CT) regulate the closure of the AV valve during systole. The present study was undertaken to categorize the PM based on their shapes and variant patterns and CT based on their types and the branching pattern. METHODS: This study included formalin-fixed ten adult cadaveric heart specimens. We observed the number, shape, length, breadth, pattern, and presence of extra PM. The number of chordae attached to the tip of each PM was quantified. We classified the types and branching patterns of the chordae and their pattern of attachment to the cusps. RESULTS: In the right ventricle, conical, truncated, and flat-topped PM were observed. The anterior PM had 5.3 ± 1.9, the posterior PM had 2.7 ± 2.1, and the septal PM had 3.5 ± 2.3 CT attached to it. In the left ventricle, we observed conical, truncated, flat-topped, bifurcate, and trifurcate shapes of PM. The anterior and the posterior PM had 7.7 ± 2.8 and 7.7 ± 2.7 CT attached to them, respectively. The true CT were cusp, cleft, and commissural and the false CT were pillar-wall, inter-pillar, and strut. We also found 3 branching patterns for the chordae (single, fan-shaped, and web forming). CONCLUSION: The study explored the comparative morphology of PM and chordae in the right and left ventricles. The knowledge of the morphological pattern of PM and CT would contribute to the valvular function and aid in diagnosing conditions such as valve prolapse or regurgitation.

Locating the anterior interosseous nerve in relation to the surgically relevant landmarks of the forearm: A cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND: This study emphasizes locating the anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) related to its level of origin, number, and lengths of its muscular branches and relation to surgically important landmarks such as the bi-epicondylar line, pronator teres, and Gantzer muscles. METHODS: The study was undertaken at a private Medical school in south India during 2019-20. The level of origin of AIN was measured from the bi-epicondylar line and its length was measured up to the upper border of the pronator quadratus using 44 cadaveric upper limbs. The number of branches given to flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) was quantified and their lengths were measured. RESULTS: The nerve originated at a mean distance of 41.56 mm from the bi-epicondylar line. In 12 upper limbs, FDP received two branches and in two limbs, it received three branches. In 13 upper limbs, FPL received two branches from AIN. It was observed that the muscular branches for FDP were shorter than those for FPL. Gantzer muscle was observed in 18 (40%) specimens and was found superficial to the nerve. CONCLUSION: The muscular branches of AIN had a variable pattern of innervation. Multiple muscular branches to the FPL and FDP were observed in the upper 2/3rds of the forearm. These branches to FPL and FDP would aid as a source of nerve grafting and nerve transfer in the cases of upper extremity nerve palsies.

A morphologic and histologic study of the radial nerve and its branches at potential compression sites.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined variations in the termination level of the radial nerve (RN) and the morphometry of the RN and its branches at potential compression sites. Additionally, we digitally analysed histological sections of the RN, the superficial branch of the radial nerve (SBRN), and the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN). METHODS: We conducted this study on 14 formalin fixed adult cadavers. The lengths of the RN, SBRN, and PIN were measured up to potential compression sites, using appropriate surface skeletal landmarks as reference points. We histologically evaluated the fascicular and non-fascicular areas and the number of axons in each nerve. All parameters were statistically analysed using a paired t-test. RESULTS: We found variations in the bifurcation of the RN with respect to the biepicondylar line (BEL). However, the course of RN terminal branches was constant in the forearm. There was a significant histological difference between the fascicular and non-fascicular areas of the PIN. There was no significant difference in the total number of axons in the SBRN and PIN. Finally, we observed that the intramuscular length of the PIN within the supinator muscle was variable and that the SBRN had more fascicles compared to the RN and PIN. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the RN and PIN had more variable morphometry compared to that of the SBRN. The histologic evaluation and quantification of these nerves at their potential compression sites could serve as a guide for surgeons planning nerve reconstruction procedures.

Near complete tracheal rings in an adult male cadaver associated with variation in V2 and V3 segments of vertebral artery

During routine dissection in an adult male cadaver, the presence of long segment near complete tracheal rings associated with variation in the second (V2) of right vertebral artery (VA) and third (V3) segments of the left VA was encountered. This case report highlights the normal lifespan of an individual despite anatomical variations that are reported to be incompatible with life. Congenital complete and near-complete tracheal rings are extremely rare tracheal deformities, and long-segment occurrences of these variations are usually incompatible with life. They are reported to be associated with cervical chondrogenic anomalies and craniosynostotic syndromes.In the same cadaver the left VA entered the foramen transversarium (FT) of C6 vertebra and exited through the FT of the axis. It formed a loop below the arch of atlas and entered the vertebral canal between the atlas and axis, completely bypassing the FT of the atlas. A branch from the loop divided into two branches, one of which supplied the dorsal ramus of C1, the other ending in the surrounding neck musculature. The right VA was normal, except that it entered the FT of C5 vertebra bypassing C6 vertebra. It was noted that the calibre of the VA on the left side was considerably more than that on the right. Variations in the vertebrobasilar system have a potential clinical impact, since they are the feed arteries of the brain (AU)

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