Anatomy Lab scalpel mistake

[deleted779421]

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[sab3156]

Hey all,

I had anatomy lab for the first time ever yesterday. I thought I’d be able to handle it but between the fumes, possibly dehydrated, and a tad nervous and I feel I wasn’t as mentally invested as I should have been.

I was changing the scalpel head as we were dissecting the back because it had dulled down, and I couldn’t get the new head on the scalpel with the grip scissors (forgot the name), so I defaulted to using my hands to put the scalpel on. Bad idea.

I poked the side of my finger ever so slightly, but enough to draw some blood. Not a lot whatsoever. I quickly washed the blood off with soap and water and double gloved the rest of lab. The bleeding stopped pretty quickly after. I didn’t notify anyone because I didn’t think it was a big deal but now I’m a tad worried about possible contraction of something. The wound is no larger than a paprcut, a few millimeters. I’m a bit of an anxious person in general and don’t really know if this is worth worrying about.

Anyone have experience with this?

I believe everything is sterile. I splashed cadaver juice in my eye and was told that it is perfectly fine. Ask your anatomy professor. Not sure if there any repercussions for not saying anything initially.

 

[alprazoslam]

Pretty sure the stuff they preserve bodies with pretty much kills everything lol

If your worried about hiv or hep c they both die quickly without an alive host. Sooooo your fine lol but get a tetanus shot and report it to lab people for safety reasons. They won’t get u in trouble over that

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Generally there's no real risk here. You're not doing an autopsy on someone who died recently, you're working on someone who has been chemically preserved and dead for months. But for the sake of your sanity go talk to your anatomy instructor and find out that your cadaver had no communicable illnesses and go on with first year without the mental anguish of questioning whether they did or didn't.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I believe everything is sterile. I splashed cadaver juice in my eye and was told that it is perfectly fine. Ask your anatomy professor. Not sure if there any repercussions for not saying anything initially.

Ugh. my god. I would be at the eye rinse station for a week.

 

[sab3156]

Ugh. my god. I would be at the eye rinse station for a week.

It felt pretty gross, I am not gonna lie.

 

[ciestar]

I cut myself badly first year. They did rapid HIV and HCV testing on me at the ER out of caution. One of my school’s deans and the anatomy course director both said cadavers are screened for communicable diseases before being accepted (while alive).

More concerning would be a dirty cut.

 

[SLC]

Wait, you cut your finger with a new (I.e. clean) blade? And you’re worried about a communicable disease?

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Clean blade shouldn't be a problem for disease. Nothing but pride hurt. OTH the anatomy lab is gross, and all the things mentioned in here, especially cadaver juice in eye, is why I strongly disliked it. I am with celty, I would have been married to the eye rinse station by the time I was done. Heck, the smell was enough to make me dislike it.

 

[Goro]

Hey all,

I had anatomy lab for the first time ever yesterday. I thought I’d be able to handle it but between the fumes, possibly dehydrated, and a tad nervous and I feel I wasn’t as mentally invested as I should have been.

I was changing the scalpel head as we were dissecting the back because it had dulled down, and I couldn’t get the new head on the scalpel with the grip scissors (forgot the name), so I defaulted to using my hands to put the scalpel on. Bad idea.

I poked the side of my finger ever so slightly, but enough to draw some blood. Not a lot whatsoever. I quickly washed the blood off with soap and water and double gloved the rest of lab. The bleeding stopped pretty quickly after. I didn’t notify anyone because I didn’t think it was a big deal but now I’m a tad worried about possible contraction of something. The wound is no larger than a paprcut, a few millimeters. I’m a bit of an anxious person in general and don’t really know if this is worth worrying about.

Anyone have experience with this?

Formaldehyde is a sterilizing agent. Just put some neomycin on the wound.

 

[samac]

Wait. This was a brand new blade you were putting on and cut yourself?
Then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Clean blade.

 

[Mr. D.O.five]

Pretty sure the stuff they preserve bodies with pretty much kills everything lol

but will it "kill"... prions lolol

 

[de Ribas]

That's why we use disposable blades/scalpels at my school. Once it is dull, throw it away and get a new one from your box. Also, any cuts or incidents like that have to be reported. That's mandatory.

 

[austintr]

but will it "kill"... prions lolol

The amount of cadavers killed by scrapie is seriously getting out of control.

 

[TheRealCookieMonster]

OP in a week

 

[ASGD1983]

Hey all,

I had anatomy lab for the first time ever yesterday. I thought I’d be able to handle it but between the fumes, possibly dehydrated, and a tad nervous and I feel I wasn’t as mentally invested as I should have been.

I was changing the scalpel head as we were dissecting the back because it had dulled down, and I couldn’t get the new head on the scalpel with the grip scissors (forgot the name), so I defaulted to using my hands to put the scalpel on. Bad idea.

I poked the side of my finger ever so slightly, but enough to draw some blood. Not a lot whatsoever. I quickly washed the blood off with soap and water and double gloved the rest of lab. The bleeding stopped pretty quickly after. I didn’t notify anyone because I didn’t think it was a big deal but now I’m a tad worried about possible contraction of something. The wound is no larger than a paprcut, a few millimeters. I’m a bit of an anxious person in general and don’t really know if this is worth worrying about.

Anyone have experience with this?

Are you serious OP? How old are you?