A video dissection guide for the en bloc extraction of the human central nervous system

Many professional health programs have transitioned from regional anatomy courses to integrated curricula, in which anatomy is taught longitudinally within a series of systems-based courses. With this shift, systems-based prosections have become increasingly valuable for anatomy education. However, most dissection guides are regionally focused, and few systems-based guides exist. In 2017, a novel written dissection guide for the en bloc extraction of the full central nervous system (CNS) was published in Anatomical Sciences Education, and the educational utility of this resource was highly rated by graduate and medical students. Building on this work, we developed a 19-min video guide for the en bloc CNS extraction to improve the approachability and accessibility of this dissection. The video provides step-by-step instructions for removing, in one piece, the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, spinal roots, cauda equina, and cranial nerve roots, including the optic nerves and eyes. Two separate cohorts of anatomy master's students evaluated the video dissection guide in 2016 (n = 5) and 2024 (n = 5). While statistically significant differences were found between the cohorts in terms of prior dissection experience, no differences were found in perceived usefulness of the videos or total dissection time, with a mean completion time of 4 h ± 12 min (SD, n = 8; two cases were omitted due to inconsistent CNS preservation). Moreover, 100% of participants recommended the CNS dissection for future students. Four of the CNS blocks were plastinated and have been used extensively to instruct students at various stages of learning, from pre-college learners to advanced medical trainees.