On the Cutting Edge: Forensic Pig Dissection

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Looking for a fresh approach to standard mammalian dissection? Engage your students in a "real" (and perfectly legal!) classroom autopsy. The fetal pig's organs, organ systems, and tissues are very similar to those of a human, as are its external features such as birthmarks, hair, and skin. These similarities allow students to dissect a fetal pig following the protocol of an actual human autopsy.

The term "autopsy" is derived from the Greek word autopsia, which means "to see for one's self." The 2 types of human autopsies are clinical (done to determine the cause of death as part of medical research or per family request) and forensic (done to determine the cause of death as part of a criminal investigation). In both types of autopsy, a forensic pathologist (sometimes referred to as a prosector) conducts the procedure to determine the cause of death. A morgue assistant (sometimes referred to as a diener) usually helps the prosector during the autopsy.

During a classroom autopsy, your students can assume the roles of forensic pathologists and support personnel as they examine their fetal pig specimens. For example, in a lab group of 4, you could assign 2 students to assist the prosector and diener. A materials manager organizes and hands dissection instruments to the prosector and diener. A recorder records all of the measurements and observations made by the prosector and diener during the procedure.

The recorder may also take digital photos of the procedure and include them in the final autopsy report. Remind students that the mindset of a forensic pathologist is one of a true scientist. During an autopsy, the body is examined with the utmost care and professionalism. The forensic pathologist carefully records all of the minute details of his or her examination of the body's external and internal structures for clues to what could have caused the person's death.

As your students conduct their investigation, they open the specimen using a Y incision. This is the same incision a forensic pathologist uses to open a human subject. Students then remove all organ systems from the body cavity. This gives them a better view of the organs in each system and how space is conserved through the folding and placement of organs within the body cavity.

Upon completion of the autopsy, students place all organs and connective tissue back into the body cavity and suture the Y incision closed using a curved suture needle and thread—much as a forensic pathologist would close a human subject. They then discard the specimen in accordance with your laboratory waste disposal procedures. After a human autopsy, the body is sent to a mortuary where it would be embalmed and dressed for public viewing or cremated.

For an excellent introduction to forensic dissection, we recommend the Carolina™ Forensic Dissection Kit. It includes detailed autopsy protocols to help you teach mammalian anatomy with Carolina's Perfect Solution® preserved fetal pigs. This comprehensive kit is designed for middle and high school students and addresses the following National Science Education Standards: