[An educational method of cross-sectional anatomy combined with gross-anatomic practice]

This paper proposes a method to introduce cross-sectional anatomy to the dissection programs of gross anatomy. The lecture emphasizes presenting to students useful markers of structures to understand the cross-sectional plane. The practice is to begin by preparing en bloc-resected organs. Eight planes were sliced by students as follows: the first plane through the arch of the aorta 2-3 cm below its upper border, the second through the bifurcation of the trachea and the pulmonary trunk, the third through the origin of the pulmonary trunk, the fourth through the middle of the right ventricle, the fifth through the liver 2-3 cm below its upper surface, the sixth through the portal area, the seventh through the gallbladder, the eight through the right renal hilus. The students sketched slices, identified structures with knowledge they acquired from the dissection, compared them with clinical CT and presented their observations to other students. The introduction of the cross-sectional anatomy into practice is one of multiple accesses available in the study of gross anatomy which are necessary for students to obtain a better understanding of the human structure and to increase their knowledge applicable to medicine.