{"id":111252,"date":"2020-03-19T17:37:36","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T16:37:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=111252"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:50","slug":"kleinrensink-storage-could-run-out-for-donated-bodies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/03\/19\/kleinrensink-storage-could-run-out-for-donated-bodies\/","title":{"rendered":"Kleinrensink: \u2018Storage could run out for donated bodies\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The anatomy trainings in the dissecting room of Professor of Anatomy Gert-Jan Kleinrensink (Erasmus MC) have also been cancelled in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. But people continue to leave their bodies to science.<\/p>\n

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Gert-Jan Kleinrensink at home.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Which consequences is the suspension of education having for you so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are leaving their bodies to science, but we aren\u2019t able to use them for the time being. When donors pass away, we receive their body. I have two preparators standing by who wash and prepare the bodies together with one or two students. But education has been suspended across the board. Normally these bodies would be used for the practical training of medical students, or during advanced surgery trainings that focus on new operating techniques, for example. These courses are usually organised daily, but they\u2019ve been cancelled for the time being too. This means we have to store any bodies that come in. If the situation doesn\u2019t improve, I expect this could soon lead to capacity issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

What happens to the bodies if storage capacity runs out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe always reserve the right to refuse a donated body, but up till now this was never really an issue. In the current uncertainty, we may decide to cremate incoming bodies without using them for science. We are doing our utmost to find solutions to avoid taking this step. For example, we\u2019re currently constructing an extra freezer that will double our existing capacity. We had already planned this addition, so the timing has proven quite fortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018Maybe in this new situation \u2013 which is new to us too \u2013 we could offer people the choice of holding a funeral instead of donation\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Will you be notifying the next of kin if you aren\u2019t able to use the deceased\u2019s body?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI actually haven\u2019t given this any thought yet, since the situation never presented itself before. Generally speaking, we don\u2019t do that kind of thing. After all, we also cremate the remains without informing the surviving relatives after we\u2019ve used them for education. Maybe in this new situation \u2013 which is new to us too \u2013 we could offer people the choice of holding a funeral after all, in lieu of donation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are the preparators still working despite the epidemic?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOne preparator is absent due to illness but is recovering as we speak. A second preparator is \u2018holding the fort\u2019. Cadavers need to be prepared as soon as they come in \u2013 preferably within 24 hours. New bodies arrive throughout the day. I do have mixed feelings about this, because I feel a responsibility to support the remaining preparator. But this is impossible at the moment due to our situation at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are you able to organise any other forms of anatomy instruction?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cDigital solutions aren\u2019t really an effective substitute for practical training. At the end of the day, you lack the three-dimensional experience and insight offered by live demonstrations in the dissecting room. The quality is notably affected when you\u2019re learning from a video or book. Nevertheless, we\u2019re currently working on a few prosection videos with prepared cadavers that can be used for instruction purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018I have to admit I bought enough groceries to last us two weeks, but that\u2019s due to our home situation\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

What\u2019s your own situation at home?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve currently self-quarantined. My wife is in a high-risk category, so I need to make sure I\u2019m not infected. I am still working as usual though; there are all sorts of consultations and meetings throughout the day. I try to do this via Skype and Zoom as far as possible, although it doesn\u2019t always run smoothly. In one meeting, one participant didn\u2019t have any audio; in another, half of the participants were unable to connect. It\u2019s clear that a lot of these systems aren\u2019t entirely prepared for people working from home on this scale. It takes ten minutes before you even get to talking. And then everyone wants to first discuss Mark Rutte\u2019s speech or inquire after other people\u2019s health.\u201d<\/p>\n

How do you make sure you have enough food and so on?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI still go out for groceries occasionally. I live close to the shops here in Scheveningen, so I try to pick up as much as I can from my local greengrocer\u2019s and cheese shop, as well as the Albert Heijn on rare occasions. The last time I went out was Thursday, and I have to admit I bought enough to last us two weeks, but that\u2019s due to our home situation. I definitely wouldn\u2019t call it hoarding, but I did stock up on some items so I don\u2019t have to go out every day. And if I see twenty other people in the shop, I wait outside until it\u2019s quieter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Do you still go out \u2013 to the beach, for example?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely an option, although I haven\u2019t done it so far. The weather\u2019s nice today [Wednesday, Eds.], so it may be a good idea to stroll through the dunes for a bit. Maybe after we\u2019ve finished this interview. But it\u2019s busy too, so I haven\u2019t gotten round to it yet. It\u2019s a regular week day after all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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