Tag: bovine

Posted on by

The gory bits: Mr Vivi’s all ovary reproduction specimens this term

bovine ovaries at Dissection Connection
bovine ovaries at Dissection Connection
Bovine ovaries at Dissection Connection

Are you doing reproduction in your curriculum this term? Mr Vivi’s all ovary it. Don’t let other suppliers testis you with delays in supply, he has you covered there too. Further more, you won’t have to drive your uterus to the abattoir, he’ll send it all right to your door. 😉

sm_mr_vivi_sig

 

6 Oct 2015

Posted on by

Top Tip: inject the heart vascular system with paint

bovine heart with paint injected into the vascular system
bovine heart with paint injected into the vascular system
bovine heart with paint injected into the vascular system

Here’s a top tip that I first was given by a very experienced biology teacher at Brisbane Grammar. You can inject the vascular system of a heart with paint to highlight the blood vessels.  I had a practice yesterday and found it much easier on this bovine heart than I ever have on a porcine heart.  I’m not very experienced with syringes and needles, though, and there were plenty of labbies in the porcine pluck workshop at ConQEST that did a great job of it.

My tips for success:

  • Water down the paint a bit to make it easier for the syringe and needle.
  • Use a brightly coloured paint.  Red and blue is tempting but yellow, orange and green show up much more clearly.
  • Allow a bit of air to flow out of the needle into the blood vessel ahead of the paint if you can.
  • Massage the paint along the finer vessels with your finger.
  • Try not to tell the lady at the craft shop what you really want to use the paint for.  She will just look thoroughly disgusted and keep one eye on you until you finally get out of her shop.

I’ve also been told you can let the paint dry and see the highlighted vessels by cutting across the muscle and looking for the paint.

It’s fun!  Give it a go!

trans_signature

 

 

Posted on by

Specimens for ANZSCTS conference wetlab

Last week we sent out some hearts for the conference of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS).  Today I’ve received a picture of one of them ready for action.

bovine heart prepared for Bentall procedure workhsop
Bovine heart prepared for Bentall procedure workshop

And what were they going to do with them?   Replacement of the aortic valve, aortic root and ascending aorta in a workshop on the Bentall procedure.

Labbies will be pleased to note that even for heart surgeons sometimes it all comes down to skewers and sticky tape!

Miss Vivi