1. Recommendations of the working group of the Anatomische Gesellschaft on reduction of formaldehyde exposure in anatomical curricula and institutes
- Author
-
Johanna Plendl, Janet Weigner, Lars Bräuer, Imke Weyers, Axel Unverzagt, Stefanie Gundlach, Stephan Heermann, Martin Dokter, Daniela Fietz, Birte Steiniger, Daniela Kugelmann, Andreas Schmiedl, Ulrich Fassnacht, Andreas Winkelmann, Magdalena Müller-Gerbl, Tamás Sebestény, Bernhard Hirt, Michael L. Pretterklieber, Christoph Viebahn, Hans-Joachim Schnittler, Ute Nimtschke, Christof Schomerus, Björn Spittau, Merle Winkler, Christoph Redies, Mirko H. H. Schmidt, Ernst Voigt, Jens Waschke, Wolfram F. Neiss, Thomas Tschernig, Erich Brenner, Friedrich Paulsen, Arlette Deutsch, Martin Scaal, Süleyman Ergün, Martin Bergmann, Desalegn Tadesse Egu, and Andreas Buchhorn
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Veterinary anatomy ,General Medicine ,Body weight ,3. Good health ,03 medical and health sciences ,Dissection ,Body donation ,030104 developmental biology ,Formaldehyde ,Occupational Exposure ,Practice Guidelines as Topic ,medicine ,Respiratory Hypersensitivity ,Humans ,Embalming ,030101 anatomy & morphology ,Occupational exposure limit ,Anatomy ,Intensive care medicine ,Reduction (orthopedic surgery) ,FORMALDEHYDE EXPOSURE ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
The practice of human and veterinary medicine is based on the science of anatomy and dissection courses are still irreplaceable in the teaching of anatomy. Embalming is required to preserve body donors, for which process formaldehyde (FA) is the most frequently used and well characterized biocidal substance. Since January 2016, a new occupational exposure limit (OEL) for FA of 0.37mg/m3 issued by the European Committee on Hazardous Substances is obligatory since FA has been classified as a human 1B carcinogen. The anatomical institutes in the German-speaking region are called upon to consolidate efforts to reduce use of FA in anatomical curricula and body donations. As a result, the Anatomische Gesellschaft (AG) has formed a "Working Group for Reduction of Formaldehyde Exposure in Dissection Courses" tasked with discussion and recommendation of measures to reduce FA. Based on the assessment of the Working Group, the AG has issued an official opinion to the effect that, at this point in time, embalming of body donors without FA completely is not feasible. Therefore, a combination of approaches are to be used to reduce FA exposure, including technical and structural (architectural) adaptations, modification of protocols for fixation and preservation as well as organizational measures. One structural measure considered unavoidable is the integration of air supply and exhaust of individual dissecting tables into the ventilation system of the anatomy building. To embalm human body donors, intra-arterial perfusion fixation with up to 4% FA and a total fluid volume of 150mL/kg body weight will suffice. For animals where body weights and biology of bodies vary widely (i.e. special needs of fixation for ruminants, large animals as horses) perfusion fixation with up to 4% FA and a quantity of fixative solution of 10-15% of the body weight may be required. Preservation of body donors in storage (immersion) can be done with 40% ethanol or in a full bath preservation containing up to 2% FA. Corpse humidification in the dissecting room is possible with 2% phenoxyethanol, in each case without FA. In veterinary anatomy, microbiological burden is often higher and therefore might lead to a need of FA in long-time storage. Compliance with the current OEL in all institutes would appear to be feasible in combination with various organizational measures.
- Published
- 2018