Often confused with organ donation, the legacy of the body to science is very different. Focus on an unusual approach but very useful for medicine.
Each year, around 2,500 people donate their bodies to science. A voluntary procedure, often confused with organ donation, and which nevertheless differs greatly from it. Because the donation of the body to science reflects a very different philosophy: the body is never recovered, and can be used freely for teaching and research purposes.
The development of anatomical mannequins and 3D simulators is revolutionizing the teaching of medicine, but the use of human corpses remains essential. The uses are diverse, from the first dissections in medicine to the training of surgeons, through anatomical research or the development of new operating techniques.
A decentralized approach
Not long ago, the University of Poitiers thus developed a system consisting in revascularizing and ventilating human cadavers, to allow better learning in surgery. Called SimLife, it allows better anatomical realism than the mannequins: the tissues are soft, the organs move with the breath, and the stab wounds cause real bleeding. So many fundamental parameters in a real operation.
In France, the legacy of a body is based on a voluntary process, which the family cannot oppose. The future donor must then contact the medical faculty of his region – there are 27 donation centers in France, managed by the CHUs – and send him a handwritten letter, dated and signed. He then receives a donor card, which will serve as proof at the time of death.
Depending on the centers, it is sometimes necessary to avoid transport and support costs in advance, which can reach several hundred euros.
No body recovery
Within 48 hours of death, the body must be transported to the donation center. It is then the object of a preservation procedure, by freezing at 17 ° C. Corpses are rare and should be handled with respect and anonymity of donors. During dissections, the faces are systematically covered with a white sheet.
Once used, the bodies are cremated. Typically, ashes are stored in a dedicated location in a cemetery. Some donation centers, such as the Paris School of Surgery, allow families to collect the ashes, but there is nothing systematic about this. If the process is strictly personal from a legal point of view, it is therefore advisable to discuss the issue with those close to them, so as not to hinder the work of mourning.
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