Comparison of student acceptance level in teaching human anatomy practice by anatomic parts treated with glycerin or formalin: observational study

Introduction: This article deals with a comparison of glycerin and formalin application on the anatomical pieces in the teaching of the practice of human anatomy. It can be noted that formalization is the main form of conservation of anatomical bodies and parts, because of its low cost. Conservation techniques such as formaldehyde and glycerin are the most commonly used in anatomy laboratories. Objective: The objective of this work is to perform a comparison study of glycerinized and formalized anatomical parts in the teaching of the practice of human anatomy. Methods: Epidemiologic/observational study, following the rules of STROBE. A total of 88 undergraduate medical students from the Brazil University, Fernandópolis-SP campus were considered. Inclusion criteria included students enrolled in the third to fourth semester of the course, excluding those who refused to participate or did not have contact with the anatomical part in practical class. Results: As a result, it can be mentioned that having the formaldehyde with a great rejection in terms of smell, the Brazil University students have a high preference for the fixation and preservation in the base of the formaldehyde, which in this case the preference reaches 36% of men and women and Glycerin 64%. It can be concluded that the preparation technique using glycerin has benefited the duration of the anatomical parts, in which it can be observed a prolonged durability effect, being stored for a long period. Conclusion: Thus, glycerination is a very efficient technique for the conservation of anatomical parts, especially for the purpose of study in practical classes, presenting a better didactic because it does not present health risks.