Embalming Section 2 Vocab

Liquid Sealer

A liquid adhesive used to permanently seal holes and incisions.

Fixation

Act of making tissue rigid. Solidification of a compound.

Sealing Agents

Agents that provide a barrier or seal against any leakage of fluid or blood.

Injection pressure

Amount of pressure produced by an injection device to overcome initial resistance within (intravascular) or on (extra vascular) the vascular system.

Surface Pack

An absorbent material saturated with an embalming chemical and placed in direct contact with the tissue.

Hardening Compound

Chemical in powder form that has the ability to absorb and disinfect. Often used in cavity treatment of autopsied cases.

Humectant

Chemical that increases the ability of embalmed tissue to retain moisture.

Formaldehyde (HCHO)

Colorless, strong-smelling gas that when used in solution is a powerful preservative and disinfectant. Potential occupational carcinogen.

Arterial solution

Concentrated, preservative, embalming chemical that is diluted with water to form the arterial solution for injection into the arterial system during vascular embalming. Its purpose is to inactivate saprophytic bacteria and render the body tissues less susceptible to decomposition.

Pressure: Differential

Difference between potential and actual pressures

Primary dilution

Dilution attained as the embalming solution is mixed in the embalming machine

Secondary dilution

Dilution of the embalming fluid by the fluids in the body, both vascular and interstitial

Centrifugal force pump

Embalming machine that uses motorized force; pulsating and no pulsating types.

Emaciated

Excessive leanness; a wasted condition resulting in sunken surfaces of the face.

Interstitial fluid

Fluid in the supporting connective tissues surrounding body cells (about one-fifth the body weight)

High Preservation Demand Fluids

Fluids often containing high phenol content used for embalming bodies showing evidence of extended refrigeration, frozen tissue or advanced decomposition

Dental tie

Ligature around the superior and inferior teeth employed to hold the mandible in a fixed position; antiquated method of mouth closure.

Needle injector

Mechanical device used to impel specially designed metal pins into bone.

Nitrogenous waste

Metabolic bi-products that contain nitrogen, such as urea and uric acid. These compounds have a high affinity for formaldehyde and tend to neutralize embalming chemicals.

Muscular suture (Semi-McKue )

Method of mouth closure in which a suture is passed through the septum of the nose and through the mentalis muscle of the chin.

Distribution (of fluid)

Movement of embalming solution from the point of injection throughout the arterial system and into the capillaries.

Diffusion (of fluid)

Movement of molecules or other particles in solution from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration until a uniform concentration is reached.

Chin rest

One of several methods used for mouth closure (antiquated)

Extra vascular

Outside the blood vascular system

Pressure filtration

Passage of embalming solution through the capillary wall to diffuse with the interstitial fluids by application of positive intravascular pressure. Embalming solution passes from an intravascular to an extra vascular position.

Osmosis

Passage of solvent from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration when the two solutions are separated by a semipermiable membrane

Paraformaldehyde

Polymer of HCHO, appears as a white powdery solid containing 85-99% HCHO

Isotonic solution

Pressure developed as the flow of embalming solution is established and the elastic arterial walls expand then contract, resulting in the filling of the capillary beds and development of pressure filtration.

Pressure: Potential

Pressure indicated by the injector gauge needle when the injector motor is running and the arterial tubing is clamped off.

Prognathism

Projection of the jaw or jaws that may cause problems with mouth closure and alignment of the teeth.

Mastic Compound

Puttylike substance; an absorbent sealing adhesive that can be injected under the skin or applied to surface tissues to establish skin contour.

Ideal rate of flow

Rate of flow needed to achieve uniform distribution without distention of the tissues.

Center of drainage

Right atrium of the heart.

Mortuary putty

Same as mastic compound

Dialysis

Separation of substances in solution by the difference in their rates of diffusion through a semi permeable membrane

Hypertonic solution

Solution having a greater concentration of dissolved solute than the solution with which it is compared.

Hypotonic solution

Solution having a lower concentration of dissolved solute than the solution with which it is compared.

Emollient

Something to soften the skin.

Rate of flow

Speed at which fluid is injected, measured in ounces per minute.

Mandibular suture (Full-McKue)

Stitch used to hold the mouth closed; placed behind the lips, one part is passed through the inferior jaw at the median plane, whereas the other part extends through the nasal septum or superior frenulum.

Index

Strength of embalming fluid, indicated by the number of grams of pure formaldehyde gas dissolved in 100 mL of water. Index usually refers to a percentage; an embalming fluid with an index of 25 usually contains 25% formaldehyde gas

Pressure: Actual

That pressure indicated by the injector gauge needle when the arterial tube is open and the arterial solution is flowing into the body.

Mottle

The diversify the spots or blotches of different color (or shade)

Dilution

The mixture of fluids prepared by the embalmer for injection.

Intravascular Pressure

The pressure in the vascular system that causes pressure filtration.

Ideal pressure

The pressure needed to overcome vascular resistance to achieve complete vascular distribution. Ideally it can be done with a single point injection with a low pressure.

Gravity filtration

The settling of fluids by gravitational force to the dependent areas of the body.