TITLE:
Nasal Response from Formaldehyde Exposure Used as Cadaver Preservative among Pre-Clinical Medical Students in a Nigerian Medical College
AUTHORS:
Mohammed Abdullahi, Abdullahi Daudu Zagga, Kufre Robert Iseh, Stanley Baba Amutta, Daniel Aliyu
KEYWORDS:
Formaldehyde, Nasal Symptoms, Health Hazards, Medical Students
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.3 No.4,
July
7,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background:
Formaldehyde is commonly used for cadaver preservation in most anatomy laboratories
with medical students at risk of acute toxic reactions involving the mucosal
surface of the upper respiratory tract. Aim: To assess the nasal induced
physical reactions from formaldehyde exposure among pre-clinical medical
students. Materials and Method: This is a cross
sectional, anonymous questionnaire-based study that included 119 preclinical
medical students who took human anatomy laboratory course in the year 2012 at
the College of Health Science of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto,
Nigeria. Results: One hundred and nineteen students responded to the
questionnaires. There were 82 males and 37 females with a ratio of 2.2:1. Fifty
nine (49.6%) of the respondents had watery rhinorrhea, nose itching 41 (34.5%),
excessive sneezing 34 (28.6%), nasal obstruction 32 (26.9%), hyposmia 23 (19.3%)
and 6 (5%) epistaxis. Thirty (29.2%) respondents had persistent nasal symptoms
throughout the dissection session and nasal obstruction accounted for 40% of
those affected. Majority of the respondents 113 (95%) had no knowledge of
health hazards and precautions against formaldehyde exposure. Conclusion: Watery
rhinorrhea, followed by nasal obstruction were the most common nasal symptoms
which were persistent in 36.7% and 40% of the respondents respectively
throughout the anatomy dissection sessions. Ninety five percent of the
respondents had no knowledge of health hazards and precautions against
formaldehyde exposure, therefore we recommend creation of awareness and
precautionary measures against formaldehyde exposure in our Nigerian medical
schools.