Publikationsdatenbank

Recommendations of the working group of the Anatomische Gesellschaft on reduction of formaldehyde exposure in anatomical curricula and institutes (2019)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Waschke, Jens

Bergmann, Martin

Bräuer, Lars

Brenner, Erich

Buchhorn, Andreas

Deutsch, Arlette

Dokter, Martin

Egu, Desalegn Tadesse

Ergün, Süleyman

Fassnacht, Ulrich

Fietz, Daniela

Gundlach, Stefanie

Heermann, Stephan

Hirt, Bernhard

Kugelmann, Daniela

Müller-Gerbl, Magdalena

Neiss, Wolfram

Nimtschke, Ute

Plendl, Johanna (WE 1)

Pretterklieber, Michael

Redies, Christoph

Scaal, Martin

Schmidt, Mirko H H

Schmiedl, Andreas

Schnittler, Hans-Joachim

Schomerus, Christof

Sebestény, Tamás

Spittau, Björn

Steiniger, Birte

Tschernig, Thomas

Unverzagt, Axel

Viebahn, Christoph

Voigt, Ernst

Weigner, Janet (WE 1)

Weyers, Imke

Winkelmann, Andreas

Winkler, Merle

Paulsen, Friedrich

Quelle

Annals of anatomy / Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft

Bandzählung: 221

Seiten: 179 – 185

ISSN: 0940-9602

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2018.10.007

Pubmed: 30393181

Kontakt

Institut für Veterinär-Anatomie

Koserstr. 20
14195 Berlin
+49 30 838 75784
anatomie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

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.