A Gross Anatomical and Histopathological Investigation of Cause of Death in a Cadaver in an Undergraduate Anatomy Lab

Abstract

An undergraduate gross anatomy dissection was performed at Westminster College as part of a human anatomy class, with one objective being to determine the cause of death in the cadaver. The cadaver was procured from Washington University. The dissection proceeded according to the details outlined in Grant's Dissector. During dissection several significant anatomical abnormalities were noted. A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vein graft was present in the left forearm joining the radial artery and cephalic vein, indicating dialysis. The kidneys were irregularly shaped and had various‐sized cysts (0.1–5.0 cm) and dense, black nodules on their surfaces, as well as internal abnormalities. These factors combined with other abnormalities (left ventricular hypertrophy [2.0 cm thick myocardium compared to a normal range of 0.6–1.1 cm], calcium deposits, and plaque in the abdominal aorta and renal arteries), support our preliminary findings of renal failure as the cause of death. Histopathological analysis of several samples will be conducted to support these findings.