Masters Degrees (Basic Medical Sciences)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Basic Medical Sciences) by Subject "Cadaver"

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    The effect of the embalming fluid, used by the Department of Basic Medical Sciences (UFS), on the viability of Mycobacterium TB in human cadaver lung tissue
    (University of the Free State, 2012-06) Correia, Janine Carla; Steyl, J. L.; De Villiers, H. C.
    Embalming fluid contains substances such as formalin, ethanol, phenol, and other solvents to prevent decomposition temporarily. These agents disinfect, preserve, and/or sanitize. The risk of contracting a disease such as tuberculosis (TB) among persons, who are in close contact with recently deceased people, is high and the risk varies according to occupation. Workers at Anatomy Departments and embalmers are some of those people who are at a greater risk of contracting tuberculosis carried by cadavers. The question thus arises whether the penetration of formalin and other embalming agents into the tissue infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is sufficient to render the bacilli non-infectious. The aim is to test the efficacy of the embalming fluid used at the department of Basic Medical Sciences (UFS) on eliminating Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human cadaver lung tissue. The cadavers were accompanied by their death certificates indicating the cause of death. Only cadavers whose death certificate indicated that the cause of death was TB, was selected to be included in the study. Closed needle biopsies were performed on 20 cadavers to obtain lung tissue from the apical and hilar areas. With the use of a pro-cut biopsy needle, a sample of lung tissue was obtained by inserting the needle through the 3rd intercostal (hilar sample) and the supraclavicular space (apical sample). The first sample was taken before embalming. The second sample 3 weeks after embalming. Tissue was then retrieved and deposited into a sterile specimen container, with saline as transport medium, and transported to Pathcare Laboratory (Drs Dietrich, Voigt, Mia, and partners) in Bloemfontein. The following diagnostic tools were used by Pathcare: direct microscopy from aspirates (lungs in the case of Pulmonary TB or from granulomatous lesions), MGIT culture, identification using PCR techniques, if positive. Before embalming 50% of the apical samples tested positive for MTB and 3 weeks after embalming none tested positive for MTB. Before embalming 40% of the samples taken from the area close to the hilus (perihilar), tested positive for MTB, 3 weeks after embalming none tested positive. The results show that 3 weeks after embalming none of the tested lung samples contained viable MTB. Thirteen of the 20 cadavers tested did have a viable strain of MTB before embalming occurred. It is of special interest to mention that one cadaver still had viable MTB 36 days after death. According to previous studies, after death, MTB can remain infectious for about 8 days in unembalmed lung tissue and up to 14 days if stored between 2 - 4oC. From this result, it is clear that MTB can survive in dead bodies with significant post-mortem intervals. It is evident from the results that the embalming fluid used at the department of Basic Medical Sciences (UFS) renders the bacilli non-infectious, because no growth was indicated 3 weeks after embalming.
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    The prevalence of anatomical variations in the intraorbital part of the ophthalmic artery and its branches in cadavers
    (University of the Free State, 2017) Mpolokeng, Kentse Sana; Potgieter, J. H.; Labuschagne, M. J.; Louw, G. J.
    English: The human orbit contains various important structures that may show variations relating to their anatomy. This study focused on the intraorbital part of the ophthalmic artery in a South African cadaver sample in the Free State (UFS) and Western Cape provinces (UCT). Meyer pioneered the study of the ophthalmic artery as far back as 1887, with a main focus on its branches and their variations. Very limited investigation has been carried out in this field and available literature has little information on this. Currently no published data exists on the South African population with regard to intraorbital variations within the ophthalmic artery and its branches. Original research was conducted to address the problem of the lack of data. Dissections of the eyes were done to investigate and document the possible variations of the intraorbital part of the ophthalmic artery and its branches. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of anatomical variations in the intraorbital part of the ophthalmic artery and its branches in a cadaver sample. The results of the study will be of value to surgical interventionists treating patients with vascular diseases within the orbital region and also to the ophthalmology students studying the orbital vascular anatomy. A total number of 59 cadavers were utilised, and 118 eyes were dissected under the lighted magnifier and observed for variations. The sample consisted of 23 cadavers (46 eyes) from the Department of Basic Medical Sciences of the University of the Free State, and 36 cadavers (72 eyes) from the Department of Human Biology of the University of Cape Town. Sixteen types of variations were observed and documented. The ophthalmic artery crossed below the optic nerve in the left eye in 7.63% of cadavers at both institutions. No ophthalmic artery crossed below the optic nerve in the right eye in the UCT group, whereas 17.39% in the UFS group crossed below the optic nerve. Statistical analyses determined the frequencies of the variations. In certain individuals there were more than one type of variation which is in agreement with published literature. The majority of variations in branching patterns occurred bilaterally and in most cases, the variation in the left eye differed from the variation in the right eye. Males showed a higher frequency of variations. These findings may well contribute to clinical application in ophthalmology and radiology while it will also inform anatomy students studying the blood supply to the eye and surrounding structures.