Delayed Embalming Techniques and Effects

Delayed Embalming and Refrigeration

• Embalming sooner results in better outcomes.
• Refrigeration is beneficial if embalming is delayed.
• Avoid air swipes.
• Use massage cream.
• Body changes progress over time.
• Some changes are controllable; others are not.
• Refrigeration is not a substitute for embalming.
• Refrigeration does not control bacteria.

No Funeral Director Can Accurately Predict Body State

• Predicting the state of a body several days after death is not possible.
• The actions of tissue gas bacteria might not be noticeable until later.

Decomposition

• Bacterial action slows below 10°C (50°F).
• Bacterial action halts below -1°C (30°F).
• Viscera take several hours to cool.

Blood Changes

• Cold creates increased livor mortis.
• Coagulation might be decreased.
• Staining increases.
• Extravasation increases.
• Blood sludging increases.

Rigor Mortis

• Rigor mortis slows but does not stop.
• Cold stiffness can be confused with rigor mortis.
• Both rigor mortis and cold stiffness restrict vessels during injection.

Autolytic Changes

• Autolytic changes are somewhat slowed.
• Reduction of protein structures lessens the chance of tissue fixation.

Dehydration

• Refrigeration units dry air as they cool.
• Fluids gravitate to the dorsal surface.
• Anterior surfaces are more prone to dehydration.
• Blisters can form on the dorsal surface with prolonged refrigeration.

Additional Thoughts

• Plastic shrouds can cause skin slippage, moist, and clammy tissue.
• Using carotid/jugular combinations is best for sludged blood distribution.
• Cold can cause distention with stiffening.

What Happens to Bodies in Refrigeration and Wrapped in Plastic?

• Warm bodies in plastic in cool rooms cause condensation.
• Capillaries become more permeable, leading to increased distention.
• Capillaries may continue to break down.

Autolysis and Bacteria

• Autolysis and bacterial enzymes continue to reduce tissues.
• Fewer clots, but more sludged blood is observed.
• Liquids gravitate to dependent areas.
• Signs of liver mortis increase.

Hemolysis and Decomposition

• Hemolysis causes staining.
• Skin slippage occurs.
• Decomposition signs include discoloration, purging, gas distention, and abdominal organ distention.
• Mold and fungus may form.

Frozen Bodies

• Cold constricts tissues.
• Ice crystals form, shredding tissues and cell membranes.
• Capillary distention occurs during arterial injection.
• Broken capillaries prevent drainage.

Tx for Frozen Subject

• Thaw bodies to a point of positioning.
• Pre-injection is avoided.
• Solutions have high viscosity (8% minimum).
• High-strength fluid is used.

Tx for Frozen Subject (Continued)

• Low pressure and slow flow rates are used.
• Cervical regions are restricted.
• Less fluid is injected.
• Multi-point hypo, and multiple aspirations are best.

This quiz covers essential topics related to delayed embalming and the effects of refrigeration on the body post-mortem. It dives into the changes that occur in the body over time, the impact of temperature on decomposition, and the challenges faced when predicting a body's condition without immediate embalming. Test your knowledge on these critical aspects of funeral services.