RP: Heart Disection

Question 1

Before you start disecting your heart, what can you do?

Answer 1

• Examine outside of heart/ take photos, should be able to identify coronary arteries.
• Try to locate semi-lunar valves. Then, run water into aorta/ pulmonary artery and the semi-lunar valves will close. To open valves, gently squeeze heart. Water will come out again as valves open.

Question 2

What pieces of equipment can be used to label sections of the heart before actually drawing a labelled diagram?

Answer 2

• Labels and disection pins can be used direcltly on the heart.

Question 3

How do we deal with all equipment after having finished the disection? Why do we deal with all the equipment in this way?

Answer 3

• Place all disection equipment (ie. scissors/ scalpel) in beaker of disinfectant.
• Place heart, gloves/ paper towels in disposal bags.
• Clean work surface with disinfectant.
• To kill pathogens.

These are also some preventions in the risk of contracting bacteria from animal product - flashcard 5.

Question 4

What is the hazard, risk, prevention of using disection needle and scalpel?

Answer 4

• Hazard: scalepl and disection needle are very sharp.
• Risk: cutting yourself.
• Prevention: All disecting equipment must be handled very carefully.

Question 5

What is hazard, risk, prevention (multiple!!) of animal product (ie. sheep’s heart) from the disection?

Answer 5

• Hazard: animal product.
• Risk: contracting bacteria.
• Preventions:
• gloves/ paper towels disposed of immediately.
• disected hearts should be wrapped and placed in bin that will be collected that day (if not, place in fridge for 2-3 days until disposal.)
• Hands must be washed with bactericidal hand wash after disection.

Question 6

What chords are attached to the atriventricular valves, what can you do to these chords in the practical?

Answer 6

• Tendinous chords.
• Use disection needle to pull on these chords to feel how strong they are.