One of the unexpected consequences of the recent pandemic was the shortfall in UPCM’s main material for anatomical education.

‍

Due to the pandemic, the supply of cadavers of UPCM plummeted from a usual mortuary census of 100-120 per year to just 32 for 2020-2022.  This was due to the strict national government policy of cremating the deceased to prevent the spread of infection.

‍

On average, the UPCM utilizes 30 cadavers per year for the Gross Anatomy course of LU3 students, with a cadaver typically shared by six students. The extreme scarcity in cadaver supply during the pandemic period allowed only the use of 10 cadavers per year for Gross Anatomy dissection sessions. Moreover, this cadaver supply crunch made the usual practice of replacing a cadaver once it shows signs of mold or deterioration untenable, prompting instead a focus on cadaver preservation.

An immersion table is a uniquely designed storage chamber that allows the storage of a cadaver in a preservation solution when not in use; when needed, the cadaver is easily raised by a built-in lifting mechanism. However, commercially available immersion tables are expensive: those made in the USA, Germany or Italy cost more than PHP 1.2 million, whereas China- or India-made tables cost up to PHP 700,000. Given these circumstances – and in keeping with longstanding UP-PGH practice of adapting and innovating as a response to limitations and restrictions – the Department of Anatomy, under the leadership of Dr Rafael ‘Pipo’ Bundoc, designed its very own Dissection In Situ Submersible Ergonomic Cadaver Table (DISSECT) for cadaver preservation, cadaver storage, and cadaveric dissection.

The DISSECT project was underwritten by Class 1978 with an eye towards its Golden Jubilee celebration in 2028, and for the love of the UPCM family who nurtured their early medical education.

‍