8th week embalming

Aspiration

Removal of fluids and semi-solids from body cavities via trocar, attached to a suction machine by a length of hose.

What are the two functions of aspiration?

Makes space so that the body cavities can recieve cavity fluid, and perforates the organs so that the cavity fluid can enter and preserve interior.

Injection

Use of a cavity injector attached to a bottle of cavity fluid to perfuse the fluid over and into the organs of the body cavities.

When does limited aspiration take place?

When there is a concern that ascites/gasses are interfering with arterial distribution.

Hydroaspirator

Water flows through a valve creating a vacuum

Electric Aspirator

creates with an electric motor, but is harder to clear clogs than hydroaspirator

Where and how would you aspirate the cranial cavity?

Use a small trocar to puncture the cribriform plate of the skull

What contains the thoracic cavity

the heart

the pericardium

the lungs

pleura ( sac around lungs)

cardiac arteries

pulmonary arteries and veins

Thorax Arterial distribution

aorta

Venous drainage

right atrium of the heart

When taking care of aspirating all regions, how deep should you go?

Superficially, Medium-depth, and deep

The starting point for aspirating cavities?

2 inches to the left of the navel and 2 inches superior towards the head.

Trocar linear guide for the right side of the heart?

Toward the right earlobe

Trocar linear guide for the stomach

toward the left armpit ( fifth intercostal space and the left midaxillary line)

Trocar linear guide for the cecum ( first part of the large intestine, where decomposition often begins)

Toward a point one-fourth of the distance from the right anterior- superior iliac spine to the pubic symphysis

length of the inguinal ligament, and direct the trocar ¼ of the way from the lateral end

Trocar linear guides for urinary bladder

towards the pubic symphysis

Order of treatment

Thoracic then abdominal

The general rule of thumb for cavity fluid is….

one bottle (16oz) for thoracic cavity

one bottle (16oz) into the abdominopelvic cavity

WHen closing abdominal opening you can…

trocar, purse-string suture, n-stitch

Stomach purge

Brown “coffee grounds”

Lung purge

frothy white to pink to red

You can employ surface embalming…

Accessory chemical for surface embalming with liquids

phenol based products

Accessory chemical for surface embalming with powder

paraformaldehyde

When hypodermic embalming a face, you inject with…

hypodermic syringe and needle

When suturing delicate/visible areas, you should use

dental floss

The best direction for suturing autopsy case…

Suture the flaps together at their corners. Then suture superiorly from the pubic symphysis

Bridge suture

Several individual sutures are not attached.

outside-in on the right side, inside out on the left side, then tie.

Baseball suture

Go outside-in from the medial corner of the incision. tie off. Go inside-out on one side. Tighten the suture, then go inside out on the other side. Repeat back and forth across the incision until closed.

Single intradermal (hidden) suture

Go outside-in about an inch from one corner of the incision. At the corner of the incision and repeat, going in the intradermal layers at the point where the last stitch comes out.

Inversion (worm) suture

Go outside-in through the corner and tie off. Go inside out on one side. Cross over the incision and proceed from outside to inside. move down the incision a centimeter and come back out on the same side of the incision,

Interlocking (lock) suture

Just like a baseball suture, except that you ties a lock knot after each stitch

Continuous (whip) suture

A very simple, often employed by autopsy technicians as a quick way to close incisions. start at one corner, the off. Go outside-in on one side, inside out of the other. Cross over the incision to the first side and repeat.

Concealing the suture

Knot at the end of the suture, insert the needle next to the knot and direct into the incision, pull the thread to the opposite side of the incision, emerge and cut.

How to treat purge

reaspirating, packing other orifices, and/or positioning the body with the head elevated.

Treat distention

Wet compresses, cavity packs under the eyelids, hypodermic injection of phenol or cavity fluid, use of an electric spatula, and channeling.

preterm

live birth before 37 weeks’ gestation

stillborn

death occurs before or during delivery

Infant

birth to 18 months

toddler

18 to 48 months

child

4 to 12 years

adolescent

12 to 18 years

young adult

18 to 25 years

Water in a newborn is approximately what percentage of total body weight

75%

Water in a one year old is approximately what percentage of total body weight

60 %

body fat in a newborn is approximately

12%

body fat in a 6 month old

25%

body fat in a one year old

30 %

Infants require a lower or higher solution strength ?

higher

Complete autopsy

both cranial and trunk cavities are opened, and internal organs removed

Partial autopsy

Specific cavities are opened for examination

local autopsy

specific organs are targeted for examination

How should drainage be for infants

Restricted with a moderate rate of flow and pressure

If a decedent was an amputee…

You should hypodermically inject the limb

Does Senile pupura (ecchymosis) clear with injections?

No