Description
Clinical History
There is no clinical history for this specimen.
Pathology
The specimen is a parasagittal section of the left lung. There are patchy regions of focal consolidations and discolorations caused by congested and hyperemic lung tissue distributed within both lobes; however, the upper lobe is more severely affected. The consolidation appears to be concentrated around the bronchioles, which are ectatic. The costal (pleural) surface of the upper lobe is especially discolored.
Further Information
Bronchopneumonia is a form of pneumonia characterized by inflammatory exudate within the intra-alveolar space resulting in consolidation that affects a large and continuous area of the lobe of a lung. It is one of the two anatomic classifications of pneumonia (the other being lobar pneumonia). The affected regions in this case shows classical focal red hepatization or consolidation in focal regions, which is due to vascular congestion with extravasation of red cells into alveolar spaces, along with increased numbers of neutrophils and fibrin. The filling of airspaces by the exudate leads to a gross appearance of solidification, or consolidation, of the alveolar parenchyma.
Bronchopneumonia is a subtype of pneumonia. It is the acute inflammation of the bronchi, accompanied by inflamed patches in the peribronchial and peribronchiolar lobules of the lungs.
It is often contrasted with lobar pneumonia but in clinical practice the types are difficult to apply, as the patterns usually overlap. Bronchopneumonia (sometimes called lobular) often leads to lobar pneumonia as the infection progresses to affect an entire lobe. The same organism may cause one type of pneumonia in one patient, and another in a different patient.
Bronchopneumonia is usually a bacterial pneumonia rather than being caused by viral disease and is more commonly a hospital-acquired pneumonia than a community-acquired pneumonia, in contrast to lobar pneumonia.
Advantages
- Anatomically accurate and identical to real specimen
- No ethical issues - not real human body parts
- Reasonably priced
- Available within a short lead time
- Reproducible, several identical prints can be used as a classroom set
- Can be produced in different sizes to cater for the needs of the teacher
Human Cadavers
- Access to cadavers can be problematic. Many countries cannot access cadavers for cultural and religious reasons
- Cadavers cost a lot money
- High cost for establishing your own plastination suite
- Wet specimens cannot be used in uncertified labs
- Dissection of cadavers is a lot of staff time and that is a cost
- Storage of cadaver material needs special refrigeration etc. which has coast
- If you want another specimen you have to start all over again
Plastinates
- Costs
- Ethical issues
- Timeframe for plastination process
- Many countries do not allow their importation
- One of a kind
Superior 3D print results compared with conventional methods
- Vibrant color offering with 10 million colors
- UV-curable inkjet printing
- High quality 3D printing that can create products that are delicate, extremely precise and incredibly realistic
Clear Support Material
- To avoid breakage of fragile, thin, and delicate arteries, veins or vessels, a clear support material is printed on such spots. This makes the models robust and can be handled by students easily.
