Fetal Pig Dissection Manual

Procedure

Part 1 – External Anatomy

Identify and record the 4 main body segments
Examine the head of your pig
Note the eyes. Each eye is protected by three eyelids! The third eyelid is the nictitating membrane – a small mass of tissue in the corner of each eye.

Part 2 – Internal Anatomy

Be careful when dissecting your fetal pig.
Only remove organs that you are asked to remove. Make superficial incisions before cutting deeper.

Incisions

Using either a scalpel or dissection scissors, make incision
Be careful. Do not cut very deep. It is better to begin with shallow incisions.
Cut from the umbilical chord to the head
Using your scalpel, make incisions
Begin at the umbilical chord and cut toward the posterior end of the fetal pig on either side of the chord.
Using dissection scissors, make incision across the collar of the pig.
Find where incision ends along the posterior end of your pig. Using a scalpel, make incision down each hind leg.
Locate the rib cage of your pig. The final incision will go directly below the ribs. Use dissection scissors to cut along the ribcage.
Be very careful so you do not damage any of the internal organs.

The liver will be brown or dull red
It will be found at the anterior end of the abdominal cavity, right below the ribs.
Look for the gall bladder, it will be right below the liver.
Find the duct connecting the gall bladder and the gall bladder.
Identify the portion of the Small Intestines that the duct connects to.
Next, identify the stomach. The stomach will be partially covered by the liver.
Locate where the stomach connects to the esophagus.
Using dissection scissors, cut the esophagus just above the stomach.
Repeat this for where the stomach joins the duodenum.
Now, use your dissection scissors to open the stomach.
Record what you see inside the stomach.
Our next organ of interest is the pancreas. The pancreas will be found below the stomach.
It will be resting against the back wall of the abdominal cavity.
The spleen will be found near the pancreas, along the left abdominal wall.
Lastly, identify the small and large intestines. Take hold of the duodenum.
Slowly pull the duodenum. The small intestines are lined in a membrane called the mesentery.
Continue to pull out the Small Intestine until it is fully unraveled.
Measure the length of the Small Intestine.

If you have not already pinned back the thoracic cavity flaps, do so now.
You may need to use the surgical scissors to cut through the sternum
Locate the heart. The heart is found just left of the center of the thoracic cavity.
Use the forceps to remove the pericardium membrane from the heart.
You will now begin removing the heart
Use your blunt probe to locate the right atrium.
Using your scissors, separate the atrium from the superior and inferior vena cavae
Next, locate the left atrium with your blunt probe.
Again, use your scissors to separate the heart from any connecting vessels.
Separate the aorta from the left ventricle.
Separate the pulmonary trunk from the right ventricle.
Carefully remove the heart from the thoracic cavity.