Take 1, 2, 3, 4.....

With the overhead lights arranged in a circle around the dissecting table, I looked into the view finder to see the scene. The blue towels covered the thorax and lower abdomen. The plastic body bag glistened as we toyed with the light.

Once the lights were arranged perfectly (or close to perfect) and the glare was reduced, we began filming the renal anatomy dissection in the anatomy lab.

As part of my curricular project, I am helping to produce a renal anatomy lab video for a renal anatomy lab that will be added to the first year curriculum next year. I am working with the an anatomist and surgeon to create this film and to write the syllabus that outlines the "Anatomical and Surgical Approach to the Kidney."

The surgical procedure that will be outlined in the syllabus is used to remove a kidney for radical nephrectomy in treatment of cancer as well as organ recovery for transplantation. With the incision made, my surgeon mentor, dissected away until we reached the right kidney. As he moved deeper in the abdomen, fluid flooded out (which required repeated blotting and a few movie takes).

He navigated through the peritoneum until he found the right kidney. With the right kidney in his hand, he carefully began the process of removing the kidney from the abdomen by severing and tying off the renal artery, vein and ureter. He pulled the kidney out of the cadever and bissected the kidney to show the interior anatomy with the pyramids and columns.

After filming this anatomy lab video, I have developed a new appreciation for movie producers. It takes a number of takes to get the cut just right and so much thought goes into creating each scene. And this is just the pre-production phase.

The next stage will involve revising and splicing the scenes to creat a fluid film that will instruct students how to remove the kidney. In the process, I too will learn this process (inside and out). Let the revision began...

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