Akademiliv

Sahlgrenska akademins nyheter

På Svenska
University of Gothenburg Logotype
  • News
  • Notices
  • Calendar
  • Grants
  • About Akademiliv

Surgeons need more bodies to practice on

12 April, 2022

SKILLS TRAINING. At the University of Gothenburg, a lack of donated cadavers limits surgeons’ scope for honing their skills. Especially in trauma surgery and new, advanced operative techniques, there are not enough bodies for courses to be held.

Many Swedes are positively inclined toward organ donation, but few know that you can also donate your whole body to promote better medical education, research, and health care. In whole-body donation, you agree formally with a higher education institution that when you die, they can use your body in teaching medical students and in skills training for surgeons.

Any resident of southwest Sweden can enter into an agreement on body donation with the University of Gothenburg.

Magnus Braide. Photo: Elin Lindström.

“In recent years, there’s been an increase in whole-body donations, for which we’re very grateful, but the need for cadavers remains huge. We’d like to see twice as many people sign whole-body donation agreements. It would enable us to offer skills training for significantly more surgeons,” says Magnus Braide, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Gothenburg and director of the Surgical Anatomical Training Center, which is run jointly by the University and local health care providers.

Training in trauma and technology

At the University of Gothenburg, cadavers are used mainly to give students on the Medical Programme an in-depth understanding of anatomical structures. When it comes to surgical skills training, priority is given to surgeons working at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, which also runs a high proportion of these courses. Where possible, cadavers are also used in courses provided by medical technology companies, where surgeons can learn to use modern operative techniques, such as robot-assisted surgery and the use of computer tomography (CT).

One area where donated cadavers are currently in short supply is trauma surgery.

“That’s a surgical specialty dealing with the consequences of external violence, such as injuries from falls, road accidents, stabbing, and shooting. The injuries are highly variable and there are relatively few patients. As a result, it may be difficult for trauma surgeons to maintain their skills,” Braide says.

Certain other operations may be technically difficult and here, too, there is a pronounced need for training in the form of courses.

FACTS ABOUT WHOLE-BODY DONATION

  • Anyone can opt to sign an agreement and, irrespective of the cause of death, the donation can be implemented. If organs can be donated or the body needs to undergo a forensic Investigation, however, this takes priority.
  • Today, about 600 people have opted in by signing agreements whereby their bodies will be used for education and surgeons’ in-service training at the University of Gothenburg. At present, some 20 cadavers reach the University annually, and the ambition is to double this number if possible.
  • The University of Gothenburg accepts whole-body donations from Skåne, Halland, and Västra (West) Götaland. Residents of other Swedish counties should approach Karolinska Institute, Uppsala University, or Umeå University.
  • Read more at https://www.gu.se/en/research/training-using-cadavers-makes-surgery-safer.

BY: ELIN LINDSTRÖM

 

By: Elin Lindström
Tagged With: institutionen för biomedicin

Add your own events in the Akademiliv Calendar

Johan Reutfors: Risk factors and consequences in difficult-to-treat depression – results from Swedish registry studies

Hybrid meeting – in Assembly Room Birgit Thilander (NOTE the venue!) or online via Zoom.

  • Hybrid webinar 15:00-16:00, Thursday June 8th.
  • Link to Zoom webinar.
  • Sahlgrenska Academy Science Seminars – see full program in the Staff Portal.

Information from Sahlgrenska Academy Research Support Office

[UPDATED MAY 23]
The Sahlgrenska Academy Research Support Office provides an overview of upcoming and current calls, nominations and events in an information letter. This letter is updated approximately four times per semester.

’20 minutes for researchers’ is back – see full spring program

During 20 minutes over Zoom, the Biomedical Library gives tips on tools and services that can facilitate your research everyday life.

Akademistatistik helps you with your statistics

Akademistatistik offers statistical and health-economic expertise to researchers and PhD students working at Sahlgrenska Academy and in the Region Västra Götaland. Here you can get advise in all aspects, from project formulation to the analyses required for journal publication.

  • If you want to make an appointment please use their online booking system.
  • Further information on Akademistatistik can be found on their homepage.

We are building at Medicinareberget

You will now find comprehensive information on construction projects that affect the Sahlgrenska Academy in the Staff Portal.

Lunch menus

Café Anatomen
Menu not available on website.

Café Annedal
Menu not available on website.

Lunchen.nu

Lustgården på Änggårdsbacken
Take away for external guests between 11.00-12.30 weekdays.

Lyktan

Mersmak Mölndal

Mersmak Sahlgrenska

Mersmak Östra

Salt & Syra

More news

High distinction for rheumatology research

2 June, 2023

DISTINCTION. The Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research at the Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, has been designated …  

Unhealthy food dominated grocery store flyers

31 May, 2023

NEW STUDY. Unhealthy food dominated the weekly grocery store flyers. As much as two thirds of the space was taken up by less healthy foods …  

Magnus Gisslén new Chief Epidemiologist at Public Health Agency

31 May, 2023

POSITIONS. Magnus Gisslén, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Gothenburg, is to be the Government’s new Chief Epidemiologist at …  

Congratulations to Kaj Blennow on high world ranking in neuroscience

30 May, 2023

DISTINCTION. Kaj Blennow, Professor of Clinical Neurochemistry at the University of Gothenburg, ranks 17th worldwide among all researchers in …  

Blood tests can show brain impact of neurosurgery

30 May, 2023

NEW STUDY. Damage to the brains of patients operated on for brain tumors may be assessed by measuring biomarkers in the blood pre- and …  

New method clarifies interplay between proteins and DNA

29 May, 2023

NEW STUDY. A research group at the University of Gothenburg has developed a method that makes the exact binding sites of specific proteins in the …  

Recipients of ALF educational grants

29 May, 2023

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. We now know who has been awarded educational ALF grants for the 2023–2024 medical program and educational ALF grants for …  

See the pictures from the awarding of the Assar Gabrielsson prize in 2023

29 May, 2023

AWARDS. Assar Gabrielsson's prize is awarded for 2023 to two excellent doctoral theses in cancer research within Region Västra Götaland. Now you c …  

Vulvovaginal symptoms common in women taking penicillin

29 May, 2023

NEW DOCTORAL THESIS. Markedly often, women who take penicillin for strep throat suffer from vulvovaginal symptoms, and in both sexes, diarrhea is …  

Major investment in innovation cluster energizes GoCo House inauguration

26 May, 2023

COLLABORATION. With applause and gold confetti, GoCo House — the heart of GoCo Health Innovation City — has now been inaugurated. Simultaneously, …  

More news...

Sahlgrenska Academy

© University of Gothenburg
PO-Box 100, S-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
Phone: 00 46 31 786 0000

About the website

Elin Lindström is editor for Akademiliv.
Please feel free to send your ideas and comments to akademiliv@gu.se

Sign up for the Akademiliv newsletter:

Send you tips to Akademiliv

Do you have a suggestion for news, grants, seminars or an education?
Send an email to Elin Lindström Claessen