FUNDAMENTALS OF EMBALMING

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CHAPTER 2

• FUNDAMENTALS OF EMBALMING

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Terminology

• The American Board of Funeral Service Education
  definition of Embalming is- a process of
  chemically treating the dead human body to reduce
  the presence and growth of microorganisms, retard
  organic decomposition, and restore an acceptable
  physical appearance.

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Terminology

• Decay- decomposition of proteins by enzymes of
  aerobic bacteria. decompose is another word for
  Decay.
• Putrefaction- Decomposition of proteins by the
  action of enzymes from anaerobic bacteria.
• What is the difference between aerobic and
  anaerobic bacteria?

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Terminology

• Aerobic means with air.
• Anaerobic means without air.
• Therefore, Decay is what happens to the body
  because of the air around it, such as a body
  lying unfound in the mountains for several days,
  and Putrefaction is what happens inside the body
  where there is no air, like in the case of
  gangrene.

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Terminology

• Decomposition- the break down of compounds into
  simpler substances by the action of microbial
  and/or autolytic enzymes.
• Preservation- the science of treating the dead
  human body chemically so as to temporarily
  inhibit decomposition.

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Terminology

• Preservative- Chemicals which inactivate
  saprophytic bacteria, render unsuitable for
  nutrition the media upon which such bacteria
  thrive, and which will arrest decomposition by
  altering enzymes and lysins of the body as well
  as converting the decomposable tissue to a form
  less susceptible to decomposition.

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Terminology

• Shannons definition of Preservative- a
  preservative will stop bacteria that live off of
  dead tissue from thriving and will change the
  chemical make up of the proteins that destroy
  blood cells and tissue in response to the dead
  body therefore slowing down the decomposition
  process.

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Question?

• Can preservation happen naturally or does man
  have to cause preservation to occur?

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Answer

• Depending on climate, temperature, and the
  surrounding environment, preservation can occur
  naturally. Can you think of an example? Would a
  body in The Sahara Desert preserve itself
  naturally? What about the Rainforest? Why or why
  not?
• However, the type of preservation required for
  recognizable viewing needs to be accomplished by
  man.

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4 Embalming Treatment Classifications

• Arterial
• Cavity
• Surface and Hypodermic

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Arterial Embalming

• Can be used to prepare general or localized body
  region
• A limb or an entire body can be arterially
  embalmed.
• Is used with both autopsied and un-autopsied
  remains.

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Arterial Embalming

• Consists of injecting 3 to 4 gallons of
  preservative solution under pressure, into the
  circulatory through an artery while concurrently
  draining blood from a vein.
• Arterial fluid flows through the bodies
  circulatory system but not through the heart.
• Arterial embalming is also referred to as
  capillary embalming.

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Arterial Embalming

• 85 of the bodies blood is contained in the
  capillaries. The embalming fluid must go through
  the capillaries to enter the tissue spaces where
  it makes contact with the cells of the tissue and
  the bodies protein thus embalming the body.

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Cavity Embalming

• What is the difference between ARTERIALLY
  EMBALMING and CAVITY EMBALMING?
• Can you perform one without doing the other?
• Which is more effective?

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Cavity Embalming

• Cavity embalming is performed after arterial
  embalming.
• It is the direct treatment of the bodies
  cavities.
• Those cavities include abdominal, thoracic, and
  pelvic.

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Cavity Embalming

• The process is carried out by aspirating the
  cavity and then filling it with concentrated
  chemicals.
• The trocar is the instrument used in the cavity
  embalming process.
• The purpose of cavity embalming is to reach the
  hollow organs that are not penetrated by the
  arterial embalming solution.

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Cavity Embalming

• It is important that the organs gases and solids
  be released through the cavity embalming process.
  
• Approximately 1 to 2 16oz. Bottles of cavity
  fluid is used to penetrate the organs and
  preserve them.

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Cavity Embalming

• Cavity Embalming may be performed more than once
  on a body in the case of purge or odor.
• There is an ongoing debate among embalmers as to
  whether a body should be cavity embalmed
  immediately following the arterial embalming or
  after a period of time (2-24 hours). Well
  explore this in Embalming Theory II.

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Hypodermic Embalming

• Hypodermic embalming is the subcuticular
  injection of suitable preservative chemical
  directly into the tissues.
• It is accomplished by use of a syringe and
  needle, or an infant or standard trocar.
• The treatment area can include finger tips, the
  cavity walls of an autopsied body, or a limb that
  wont accept arterial embalming.
• What other areas can be hypodermically embalmed?

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Surface Embalming

• Surface embalming is the application of an
  embalming chemical directly to the surface of the
  tissues.
• The chemicals are applied with an aerosol spray,
  or painted on with a brush using a liquid or gel,
  and can even be applied using cotton as a surface
  compress.

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Surface Embalming

• Areas that are surfaced embalmed can be under the
  eyelids, the cavity walls in autopsied bodies,
  and underneath the cranial scalp when a cranial
  autopsy has been performed.

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Chronology for Embalming the Unautopsied Adult
Body

• Although these steps vary from one embalmer to
  another this is a good list to get you started.
  As you begin to embalm yourself, you will develop
  your own style. You will learn different steps
  from different embalmers, and the funeral home
  you work for may even dictate exactly how the
  embalming procedure is to be done.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 1. Remove all clothing and record any personal
  effects such as a ring, watch, or dentures.
• Remember that if a family wants the clothing back
  OSHA requires you must first wash it before
  returning it. Always ask if the family wants the
  sheet back if the transfer occurred from the home.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 2. Disinfect the body with a droplet spray or
  disinfectant solution. Disinfect and clean all
  of the body orifices with the solution and swab
  them clean.
• 3. Position the body. Relieve any rigor mortis
  simply by manipulating the area with the rigor.
  Tilt the head slightly to the right and elevate
  above the chest.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 4. Wash the body with a germicidal soap. This is
  the time to clean underneath the nails. Cleaning
  the nails after the arterial injection can cause
  the skin to tear.
• 5. Shave facial hair, only if permission has
  been given. DONT SHAVE A WOMAN OR CHILD WITHOUT
  PERMISSION as the book suggests. A family sued a
  funeral home once because the embalmer plucked a
  hair from Aunt Idas mole!

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 6. Close the mouth. We will learn the different
  methods of closure later on in the course. If
  the dentures are available and you use them,
  dont forget to clean them before you put them in
  the mouth (also remember the GROOVE). Close the
  eyes using an eye cap. Place massage cream on the
  entire face and neck at this time to prevent
  drying of the tissue during the arterial
  injection.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• Number 6 is also referred to as setting the
  features.
• 7. Select the artery and vein that will be used
  in the process.
• 8. Select and prepare the fluids that will be
  used.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 9. Inject the embalming solution and ask these
  questions
• How much solution is needed?
• What should the solution strength be?
• Which areas are and which are not receiving
  embalming fluid?
• When has the body received the right amount of
  solution?
• We will answer these questions in detail later.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 10. After the arterial injection, determine if
  surface of hypodermic embalming is required.
• 11. Remove the arterial tubes and drain devices.
  Dry and tightly suture incisions.
• 12. Aspirate the body.
• 13. Inject the cavity the cavity fluid.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 14. Remove any surgical drains, colostomy bags,
  or other such medical devices that were on the
  body from the hospital. Open, drain, disinfect,
  and suture these areas.
• Why not remove the drains and lines from the body
  prior to this point?
• 15. Rewash the hair and body. Dry the body.
  Pack all of the orifices with cotton. Contrary to
  the book, you do not need to glue the eyes and
  mouth shut on every person.

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Unautopsied Adult Body

• 16. Reaspirate if necessary.
• 17. Clean and fill the embalming machine with
  water. Clean all instruments used during the
  procedure and properly dispose of all waste.
• 18. Dress the body in plastic garments if
  necessary. These should not automatically be
  used.

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• 19. Restorative Art treatment can now begin.

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• 1. Spray the body down with a disinfectant and
  then wash the body with a liquid soap.
• 2. Open the temporary autopsy sutures and if
  present remove the bag containing the viscera,
  place it in a bucket and pour a bottle of cavity
  fluid over it.
• 3. Relieve the rigor mortis.
• 4. Shave the facial hair,with PERMISSION

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• 5. Clean the oral cavity and close the mouth.
• 6. Clean the eyes and close them with eye caps.
• 7. Prepare the arterial solution.
• 8. Raise the arteries to be used. This will be
  much more difficult because each limb has to be
  embalmed separately.

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• 9. Inject the legs.
• 10. Select the subclavian or axillary arteries.
• 11. Inject the arms.
• 12. Inject the head using the carotids. Inject
  the left side first.
• 13. From within the cavity using a small trocar
  inject the buttocks, trunk walls, shoulders, and
  back of the neck.

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• 14. Aspirate and dry out all of the cavities.
• 15. Replace the viscera into the cavities.
• 16. Use the baseball stitch to suture the
  incision.
• 17. Anchor the calavarium in place and suture the
  scalp closed from the right to the left.
• 18. Wash and dry the body.

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• 19. Apply a surface sealer to the autopsy
  sutures.
• 20. Glue the mouth and eyes, ONLY IF NEEDED.
• 21. Place the body in plastic garments, ONLY IF
  NEEDED.
• 22. Restorative Art can now begin.

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Chronology for the Autopsied Body

• We will go into much greater detail on all of
  these autopsied and unautopsied steps before the
  end of the school year.
• Dont panic if youre not understanding all of
  this, well keep putting it together as we go.

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Refrigeration and Identification

• Most bodies using the refrigeration dont need
  any type of handling.
• Those that do are usually prepared for
  identification purposes only. Each funeral home
  has their protocol for such an event. Many
  simply set the features and place the remains in
  a hospital gown, cover the body with a blanket,
  and lay them on a gurney.

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Refrigeration and Identification

• The book is very detailed about preparing remains
  for an identification. I dont know of any
  funeral home that goes to this extreme. And if
  they are, they need to be charging the family a
  fee because what is outlined in the book can take
  almost as long as an embalming.

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Refrigeration and Identification

• If you work for a funeral home check into the
  procedure for an identification and storage of
  the remains.