RA II Restoratuve Treatment Time Period

What three time periods can restorative treatments be divided into?

• Before Arterial Injection (Pre-embalming)

• During Arterial Injection

• After Arterial Injection (Post-embalming)

What time period is most restorative treatments done?

After arterial injection (post-embalming)

What is the first step in the pre-embalming period?

Clean the surface of the body

• Restorative analysis is best completed with a thorough cleaning of the body to expose any potential restorative issues.

• Clean orifices (including dentures, glass eyes, etc.)

• Remove surface stains

• Carefully remove debris (broken glass, leaves, grass etc)

• Remove any medical devices that may leaves marks or indentations

• Remove scabs or fever blisters

What is the second step in the pre-embalming period?

Set Features

• Shave everybody!

• Fill emaciated facial areas with cotton or putty

• Make sure eyes and lips are aligned properly and closed

What is the third step in the pre-embalming period?

Re-align

• Lacerated and cut tissue edges (tack sutures or glue)

• Simple and compound fractures, if possible

• Dislocated or twisted limbs

What is the fourth step in the pre-embalming process?

Treat Skin Issues

• Remove torn skin from desquamation

• Drain blisters, pustules and similar skin eruptions; remove loose skin

• Apply surface compresses to skin discolorations as necessary

• Excise tumors (with permission!) if they are causing features the be misaligned.

• Apply phenol or other cauterant to exposed skin areas to begin the drying process

What should be done during the active embalming period?

Establish good preservation!

• Few restorative or cosmetic treatments are done during embalming, but FIRM, DRY, WELL-PRESERVED TISSUES are the key to successful restoration!

• Choose fluids for your solution that are appropriate for the case you’re working on!

• Ensure distribution

• Control swelling

• Massage as needed

… ET CETERA…

What should be done at embalming completion?

Suturing

• Choose the appropriate suture for the given situation/location

Positioning

• Head and hands should be positioned appropriately

Massage cream

• Apply to face and hands to avoid dehydration

• “Floating” a piece of plastic onto the face can help preserve hydration

Cauterants

• Ensure phenol packs are clearing discolorations

• Ensure phenol applied to open skin areas is sufficient to dry the area

Then, LET THE BODY REST! This allows all your embalming treatments to set.

• Tissues firm

• Chemicals are given time to work

• Moist areas of tissue have time to dry

What should be done in the post-embalming period?

This is where most of your restorative work happens

• Tissue building

• Tissue reduction or excision

• Sealing of eyes and lips

• Sealing of sutured areas, as appropriate

• Reconstruction of features

• Application of wax, as necessary

• Cosmetic application to discolorations

• General cosmetic application