Setting the features

Last updated

Setting the features is a mortuary term for the closing of the eyes and the mouth of a deceased person such that the cadaver is presentable as being in a state of rest and repose, and thus more suitable for viewing. While it is one of the first stages of embalming, it is also commonly done as a token of respect even when the deceased is not viewed or is directly cremated. Generally only when the deceased (or their family) have specifically requested the body be untouched are the features left unset.

Contents

Preparation

The body is disinfected and insects such as maggots and flies are removed. [1] The body is then washed with water and germicidal soap. This movement of the body parts also helps to relieve rigor mortis, [2] and particular attention is given by the embalmer to parts of the body that are most visible during a viewing: the facial area and hands. The hair is washed and styled, either before or after the embalming.

The body is shaved in accordance to the family's wishes. The embalmer also relieves rigor mortis of the corpse by flexing and massaging various parts of the body. [3] Prior to embalming, the embalmer will also position the corpse to an approximate final position. After embalming the muscles will firm and it may become difficult to position the corpse. [4] In extreme cases where positioning is difficult, such as bodies with arthritis or paralysis, the embalmer may cut tendons and utilise straps to hold the body in a suitable position. Autopsied bodies may need splints or dowels in the back to hold the head in place if the spine was removed. [5]

Procedures

Of the aesthetic preparations prior to embalming, the closure of the eyes, mouth, and lips are the most aesthetically obvious. There is a distinction between mouth closure and lip closure, the former meaning closure of the jaws, whilst the latter is closure of the lips and ‘setting’ the look of the mouth. [6]

Eye closure

Though mouth and lip closures are usually done prior to arterial injection, eye closure can be done regardless of whether the body has had the arterial injection. Care is advised for bodies with communicable diseases such as herpes and special caution for eye discharges and fluids from victims of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. [7]

The eyelids are massaged to relieve rigor mortis, and if necessary, are stretched to fully close the eyes. An eye cap is inserted underneath the lids to maintain the rounded contour of a normal eye and to keep the eyelids from opening. [8] If the eye has collapsed due to decomposition, the eye cavity can be packed with cotton prior insertion of the eye cap. If the arterial injection does not sufficiently fill the eye cavity, an injection of embalming fluid under the lids will preserve the eyes followed by gluing the lids shut with rubber-based body glue. [9]

A mortician's restorative tools, amongst which includes eye caps and packing material for cavities, as well as smaller bottles of preserving fluid. Mortician's resorative tools.JPG
A mortician's restorative tools, amongst which includes eye caps and packing material for cavities, as well as smaller bottles of preserving fluid.

Mouth closure

Mouth closure is achieved through various methods. The body is first prepared by relieving rigor mortis, usually through massage. The oral and nasal cavities are swabbed clean, checked for any purge material, then the throat area is packed with cotton. [10]

A common method of mouth closure is via needle injector. [11] A needle with a barbed tip and with a wire attached is driven into the maxilla, behind the teeth, and another driven into the mandible. The two wires are then twisted together to bring the lower jaw up and close the mouth. In exceptions where the bone has atrophied or been fractured (as is the case with many denture users and automobile accident victims), a wire injection may require additional wires be set or sutures may be required. [12]

In such cases, an embalmer will use a muscle suture. [13] A needle and suture is drawn from the outer edge of the maxilla (the outer gums of the front teeth) into a nostril, pulled through the septum, and back down into the mouth. The needle then is pulled down to where the lower lip meets the mandible, pulled to the other side, and back up to meet with the hanging suture, at which point it is tied and the jaws are brought together. [14] The sublingual suture is similar, exception being where the suture is drawn in the lower jaw, in the floor of the mouth as opposed to the front of the mandible, and this eliminates any unwanted dents in the skin of those with less flesh around the lower jaw. [15]

Uncommonly, the lips may simply be sealed by use of cyanoacrylate, though this is reserved usually to the bodies of the young or infants. [16]

Lip closure

After the mouth is closed, the cheeks may be padded to restore a normal contour, especially if the body is emancipated. The front of the mouth may also be padded to restore a normal contour, especially if the teeth are missing or sunken in. [17] Once padded, the lips are held in position with petroleum jelly, rubber-based body glue, or cyanoacrylate in severe cases, prior to the arterial injection. The lips are sealed permanently after aerating the mouth cavity and after the embalmer confirms no blood or arterial fluid has leaked into the mouth. [18]

Body cavities

The anal and vaginal cavities are sprayed with disinfectant, then packed with cotton that has been saturated with phenol, undiluted cavity fluid, or autopsy gel. This is normally done after embalming to allow any unwanted discharge and excess fluids to exit during the arterial injection. [19]

Miscellaneous procedures

Pacemakers are removed if the body is to be cremated, though often they are removed regardless because they may interfere with the arterial injection. They are removed with one incision over the device, after which it may be extracted and discarded of properly. [20]

Surgical incisions are treated depending on their location and stage of healing. If the sutures are recent, a solution of phenol or other preservative fluids is injected into the margins and the area disinfected. Metal sutures are removed after arterial injection, and the incision then tightly sutured with a running stitch. Sealing powder can be applied to protect against leakage, and glue is then applied over the surface of the incision. If the suture is visible, cyanoacrylate and/or a restorative suture is used. [21]

For feeding and breathing tubes, the skin around them may be destroyed and dented, and an embalmer may choose to use tissue builder or wax filler to restore the look and contour of the skin. [22] Tracheotomy holes are left until after embalming as an outlet for purge fluid before being permanently sealed, though they are closed with a saturated cotton ball to disinfect the opening and to contain any leakage during the arterial injection. [23]

Three disposable trocars. Disposable Trocars.jpg
Three disposable trocars.

Abdominal feeding tubes are removed either before or after the arterial injection, and a piece of cotton saturated with phenol used to stop the hole. Sutures may also be used to close the hole. [24]

Holes left by intravenous tubes can be left by the embalmer until after the arterial injection, and filler used to restore the contour of the skin. [25]

Blisters and sores are opened and drained, and fractured bones are aligned to look as if in a normal state. The embalmer may perform small incisions to align smaller fragments, and irregularities that cannot be smoothed out see the bone fragment removed and filled with wax or putty. [26]

The embalmer must carefully handle gas buildup caused by Clostridium perfringens to avoid contamination between bodies. Body cavities affected are punctured and drained of gas, often with a trocar. [27]

Related Research Articles

Abscess Localized collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body

An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends beyond the swelling. Carbuncles and boils are types of abscess that often involve hair follicles, with carbuncles being larger.

Livor mortis Settling of the blood in the lower, or dependent, portion of the body postmortem

Livor mortis, postmortem lividity, hypostasis or suggillation, is the fourth stage of death and one of the signs of death. It is a settling of the blood in the lower, or dependent, portion of the body postmortem, causing a purplish red discoloration of the skin. When the heart stops functioning and is no longer agitating the blood, heavy red blood cells sink through the serum by action of gravity. The blood travels faster in warmer conditions and slower in colder conditions.

Embalming is the art and science of preserving human remains by treating them to forestall decomposition. This is usually to make the deceased suitable for public or private viewing as part of the funeral ceremony or keep them preserved for medical purposes in an anatomical laboratory. The three goals of embalming are sanitization, presentation, and preservation, with restoration being an important additional factor in some instances. Performed successfully, embalming can help preserve the body for a duration of many years. Embalming has a very long and cross-cultural history, with many cultures giving the embalming processes a greater religious meaning.

Algor mortis, the second stage of death, is the change in body temperature post mortem, until the ambient temperature is matched. This is generally a steady decline, although if the ambient temperature is above the body temperature, the change in temperature will be positive, as the (relatively) cooler body acclimates to the warmer environment. External factors can have a significant influence.

Route of administration Path by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body

A route of administration in pharmacology and toxicology is the path by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body.

Abdominoplasty

Abdominoplasty or "tummy tuck" is a cosmetic surgery procedure used to make the abdomen thinner and more firm. The surgery involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen in order to tighten the muscle and fascia of the abdominal wall. This type of surgery is usually sought by patients with loose or sagging tissues after pregnancy or major weight loss.

Rhinorrhea Type of medical symptom where the nasal cavity is filled with fluid mucus

Rhinorrhea or rhinorrhoea is the free discharge of a thin nasal mucus fluid. The condition, commonly known as a runny nose, occurs relatively frequently. Rhinorrhea is a common symptom of allergies or certain viral infections, such as the common cold. It can be a side effect of crying, exposure to cold temperatures, cocaine abuse, or withdrawal, such as from opioids like methadone. Treatment for rhinorrhea is not usually necessary, but there are a number of medical treatments and preventive techniques available.

Buttock augmentation Cosmetic and corrective surgery

Gluteoplasty denotes the plastic surgery and the liposuction procedures for the correction of the congenital, traumatic, and acquired defects and deformities of the buttocks and the anatomy of the gluteal region; and for the aesthetic enhancement of the contour of the buttocks.

ICD-9-CM Volume 3 is a system of procedural codes used by health insurers to classify medical procedures for billing purposes. It is a subset of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) 9-CM. Volumes 1 and 2 are used for diagnostic codes.

Embalming chemicals

Embalming chemicals are a variety of preservatives, sanitising and disinfectant agents, and additives used in modern embalming to temporarily prevent decomposition and restore a natural appearance for viewing a body after death. A mixture of these chemicals is known as embalming fluid and is used to preserve bodies of deceased persons for both funeral purposes and in medical research in anatomical laboratories. The period for which a body is embalmed is dependent on time, expertise of the embalmer and factors regarding duration of stay and purpose.

Mastopexy is the plastic surgery mammoplasty procedure for raising sagging breasts upon the chest of the woman, by changing and modifying the size, contour, and elevation of the breasts. In a breast-lift surgery to re-establish an aesthetically proportionate bust for the woman, the critical corrective consideration is the tissue viability of the nipple-areola complex (NAC), to ensure the functional sensitivity of the breasts for lactation and breast-feeding.

Veterinary surgery

Veterinary surgery is surgery performed on animals by veterinarians, whereby the procedures fall into three broad categories: orthopaedics, soft tissue surgery, and neurosurgery. Advanced surgical procedures such as joint replacement, fracture repair, stabilization of cranial cruciate ligament deficiency, oncologic (cancer) surgery, herniated disc treatment, complicated gastrointestinal or urogenital procedures, kidney transplant, skin grafts, complicated wound management, and minimally invasive procedures are performed by veterinary surgeons. Most general practice veterinarians perform routine surgeries such as neuters and minor mass excisions; some also perform additional procedures.

Trocar Medical or veterinary device

A trocar is a medical or veterinary device that is made up of an awl, a cannula, and a seal. Trocars are placed through the abdomen during laparoscopic surgery. The trocar functions as a portal for the subsequent placement of other instruments, such as graspers, scissors, staplers, etc. Trocars also allow the escape of gas or fluid from organs within the body.

Lip reconstruction may be required after trauma or surgical excision. The lips are considered the beginning of the oral cavity and are the most common site of oral cancer. Any reconstruction of the lips must include both functional and cosmetic considerations. The lips are necessary for speech, facial expression, and eating. Because of their prominent location on the face, even small abnormalities can be apparent.

Vitreous chamber

The vitreous chamber is the space in the eye occupied by vitreous humor.

Cadaver Dead body used for study or instruction

A cadaver or corpse is a dead human body that is used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites, determine causes of death, and provide tissue to repair a defect in a living human being. Students in medical school study and dissect cadavers as a part of their education. Others who study cadavers include archaeologists and arts students.

Surgical suture

Surgical suture is a medical device used to hold body tissues together after an injury or surgery. Application generally involves using a needle with an attached length of thread. A number of different shapes, sizes, and thread materials have been developed over its millennia of history. Surgeons, physicians, dentists, podiatrists, eye doctors, registered nurses and other trained nursing personnel, medics, clinical pharmacists and veterinarians typically engage in suturing. Surgical knots are used to secure the sutures.

In surgery, a surgical incision is a cut made through the skin and soft tissue to facilitate an operation or procedure. Often, multiple incisions are possible for an operation. In general, a surgical incision is made as small and unobtrusive as possible to facilitate safe and timely operating conditions.

Resuscitative thoracotomy

A resuscitative thoracotomy is a thoracotomy performed to resuscitate a major trauma patient who has sustained severe thoracic or abdominal trauma and who has entered cardiac arrest because of this. The procedure allows immediate direct access to the thoracic cavity, permitting rescuers to control hemorrhage, relieve cardiac tamponade, repair or control major injuries to the heart, lungs or thoracic vasculature, and perform direct cardiac massage or defibrillation. For most persons with thoracic trauma the procedure is not necessary; only 15% of those with thoracic injury require the procedure.

Oroantral fistula Medical condition

Oroantral fistula (OAF) is an epithelialised oroantral communication (OAC). OAC refers to an abnormal connection between the oral cavity and antrum. The creation of an OAC is most commonly due to the extraction of a maxillary (upper) tooth closely related to the antral floor. A small OAC may heal spontaneously but a larger OAC would require surgical closure to prevent the development of persistent OAF and chronic sinusitis.

References

  1. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.44–24.46. ISBN 9780071741392.
  2. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.47–24.48. ISBN 9780071741392.
  3. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.96–24.103. ISBN 9780071741392.
  4. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.104. ISBN 9780071741392.
  5. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.133–24.139. ISBN 9780071741392.
  6. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.141. ISBN 9780071741392.
  7. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.239. ISBN 9780071741392.
  8. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.241–24.243. ISBN 9780071741392.
  9. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.244–24.249. ISBN 9780071741392.
  10. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.145. ISBN 9780071741392.
  11. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.173. ISBN 9780071741392.
  12. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.178–24.179. ISBN 9780071741392.
  13. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.177. ISBN 9780071741392.
  14. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.181. ISBN 9780071741392.
  15. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.193. ISBN 9780071741392.
  16. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.213. ISBN 9780071741392.
  17. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.214–24.218. ISBN 9780071741392.
  18. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.234. ISBN 9780071741392.
  19. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.253. ISBN 9780071741392.
  20. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.255–24.257. ISBN 9780071741392.
  21. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.258. ISBN 9780071741392.
  22. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.258. ISBN 9780071741392.
  23. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.266. ISBN 9780071741392.
  24. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.263. ISBN 9780071741392.
  25. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.265. ISBN 9780071741392.
  26. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.300. ISBN 9780071741392.
  27. ↑ Mayer, Robert G. (2011). Embalming: History, Theory, and Practice. McGraw-Hill. 24.308. ISBN 9780071741392.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.