The contribution of plastinates to teaching complex anatomy of the heart

Objectives: The use of plastination can minimize health risks and cost in anatomy laboratories. Plastinates are easy to handle and can facilitate the learning of complex anatomical structures. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the contribution of plastinates to teaching complex anatomy of the heart. Methods: Standard S10 technique was used for heart plastination by fixation, dehydration, impregnation and curing stages. Ninety volunteer first-year medicine students at Akdeniz University, who did not take cardiovascular system anatomy lectures yet, were included. Formalin-fixed heart specimens were used in the lecture of group 1; both formalin-fixed heart specimens and heart plastinates were used in the lecture of group 2. After the lecture, a 10-question exam was administered. Statistical significance between the scores of the two groups was tested with one sample t-test, and post hoc Tukey test was used for multiple comparisons. Results: The pre-test scores of the groups were compared with the scores obtained after the 2 hours of lecture (p=0.002, p<0.05). The test scores of both groups increased significantly after the lecture (p<0.05). The post-test scores of group 2 were significantly higher than group 1 (p= 0.047, p<0.05). The average test scores of those trained with formalin-fixed specimens increased from 23.78±1.94 to 48.22±3.19 (p<0.05). Students gave positive feedback about heart plastinates, and they stated that their rising interest in the anatomy lecture due to the odourless, disinfected and reusable materials. Conclusion: In conclusion, besides being cost-effective, healthy, long lasting and easy to maintain materials, plastinates are useful tools to teach complex anatomical structures.