Cadaver donation program and anatomy teaching at the University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil (721.5)

Abstract

Several reasons have led to progressive replacement of cadavers for anatomical models and computerized images in Anatomy courses. To obviate the scarcity and pitfalls related to the use of unclaimed bodies, a cadaver donation program was implemented in our Department. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact, benefits and problems of the program in the last decade.A retrospective evaluation of the documents related to cadaveric donation to our department was obtained from 2002, analyzing the characteristics of the donors and the availability of cadaveric material to our courses. Additionally, we searched possible variables related to voluntary donation.All donors were causcasians and gender distribution varied throughout the decade, mainly concerning female donors. Our cadaver donation program has been successful to maintain adequate cadaveric material for teaching and research purposes and completely replaced the use of unclaimed bodies.Alternative methods to teach Anatomy to be valuable but their role, alone or in conjunction with traditional cadaveric dissection and prosection, still need to be established. We consider that the use of cadavers to be essential in medical graduation and a comprehensive voluntary donation program is the best alternative to achieve the educational targets without the ethical and legal problems related to the use of unclaimed bodies.