First UK University to acquire Von Hagens Plastinations for anatomy teaching

His work is discussed controversially across the world: his supporters call it art, his opponents call it illegal an immoral. Nevertheless, Gunter von Hagens' plastinations fascinated an audience of millions and now the University of Warwick, UK, ordered 200 plastinations for anatomy teaching.

Photo: First UK University to acquire Von Hagens Plastinations for anatomy...

 Warwick Medical School has spent around £400,000 on the educational specimens, which travelled to the UK this month with other specimens for von Hagens’ Body Worlds exhibition in London's O2 arena, which opened on 24 October.

 Funding was provided by the Strategic Health Authority as part of a £1.1 million grant for the School to create a centre for excellence in anatomy and surgical skills.

Dr von Hagens’ plastination technique involves removing body fat and water and injecting a polymer to preserve the body or body part. The resulting objects are of the highest quality and ideally suited for medical, educational and instructional purposes. The specimens originate from body donors to von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination in Guben, Germany.

Warwick Medical School's Chair of Clinical Anatomy Professor Peter Abrahams said the specimens were essential for anatomy teaching: "Gunther von Hagens’ plastination technique is the most effective and his specimens are of the highest quality. Our students can use these specimens again and again to understand how the body works. They will be a unique and invaluable tool for the training of doctors."

Source:
Peter Dunn
University of Warwick

 

28.10.2008

More on the subject:

Related articles

Photo

Article • Pros & cons

Goodbye to the microscope? Not yet!

Carol - I. Geppert MD, from the Institute for Pathology at Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, debates the impact of digitisation on pathology.

Photo

News •

Experts recommend 'ultrasound first' for imaging the female pelvis

Ultrasound technology has evolved dramatically in recent years. A group of noted obstetricians and gynecologists maintain that ultrasound is more cost-effective and safer than other imaging…

Photo

Article • Profession

Imager or doctor: that is the question

Delegates were asked an increasingly vital question during ECR 2015: do they rather want to be imagers or doctors? “This will probably be one of the most interesting sessions of this meeting and,…

Subscribe to Newsletter