COMPS: embalming

Antemortem injuries resulting from friction of the skin against a firm object resulting in the removal of the epidermis.

Abrasion

To touch or contact as with the tarsal plates of the closed eyelids. The eyelids should do this.

Abut

Group of chemicals used in addition to vascular (arterial) and Cavity embalming fluids; includes but is not limited to hardening compounds, preservative powders, sealing agents, mold preventative agents, and pack application agents.

Accessory Chemical

A specific group of diseases or Conditions which are indicative of severe immunosuppression related to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); persons dead having had this may exhibit conditions such as wasting syndrome, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and Kaposi's sarcoma. Mycobacterium avium - causes TB in these patients.

Acquired Immune Dericiency Syndrome / AIDS

(0.5 ppm / 8 hours for formaldehyde); The specific point at which an 8-hour exposure is unsafe. These levels are established to ensure adequate protection of employees at exposures below the OSHA limits, but to minimize the compliance burdens for employers who have exposures below the 8 hour permissible exposure limit (PEL).

Action Level / AL-Exposure Limits

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

(when the valve is open)

Actual Pressure

Soft whitish crumbly or greasy material that forms upon the Postmortem hydrolysis and hydrogenation of body fats.

Adipocere / Grave Wax

In the presence of free oxygen

Aerobic

To disperse as an aerosol; minute particles of blood and water become atomized and suspended in air when water under pressure meets the blood drainage or when flushing an uncovered flush sink.

Aerosolization

Decrease in body temperature immediately before death.

Agonal Algor

In reference to blood, a change from a fluid into a thickened mass

Agonal Coagulation

The loss of moisture from the living body during the agonal state

Agonal Dehydration

Escape of blood serum from an intravascular to an extravascular location immediately before death.

Agonal Edema

Increase in body temperature immediately before death.

Agonal Fever

Period immediately before somatic death

Agonal Period

Post-mortem cooling of the body to the surrounding temperature

Algor Mortis

Method of injection-drainage in which embalming solution is injected and then injection is stopped while drainage is open.

Alternate Drainage / Restricted Drainage

Building blocks of which proteins are constructed, and the end products of protein digestion or hydrolysis.

Amino Acid

severe generalized edema that requires a Higher Fluid Index due do secondary dilution of embalming fluid

Anasarca

In the absence of free oxygen

Anaerobic

The body is erect, feet together, palms facing forward, and thumbs are pointed away from the body.

Anatomical Position

Localized abnormal dilation of outpocketing of a blood vessel resulting from a congenital defect or a weakness of the vessel wall. (May result in the need for multipoint injection due to disruption in the vascular system.)

Aneurysm

An embalming instrument that is used for blunt dissection and in raising vessels

Aneurysm Hook

An embalming instrument that is used for blunt dissection and in raising vessels, which has an eye in the hook portion of the instrument for placing ligatures around the vessels

Aneurysm Needle

A multipurpose instrument used in the embalming process. (May be used as a drainage instrument.)

Angular Spring Forceps

In front of the elbow/in the bend of the elbow

Antecubital

Before death

Antemortem

Toward the front

Anterior

A bony protuberance that can be palpated topographically, found on the ilium, the superior, broad portion of the hipbone; the origin of the injuinal ligament and the sartorius muscle.

Anterior Superior Iliac Spine

Ingredient of embalming fluids that retards the postmortem tendency of blood to become more viscous or prevents adverse reactions between blood and other embalming chemicals

Anticoagulant Fluid

Condition in which the manifestations of life are feebly maintained

Apparent Death

The concentrated, preservative, embalming chemical that will be diluted with water to form the arterial solution for injection into the arterial system during vascular embalming. The purpose is for inactivating saprophytic bacteria and rendering the body tissues less susceptible to decomposition (preservative).

Arterial (Vascular) Fluid

The mixture of arterial (vascular) fluid and water which is used for the arterial injection and may include supplemental fluids

Arterial Solution

A tube used to inject embalming fluid into the body vascular system.

Arterial Tube

The term applied to a number of pathological conditions causing a thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries.

(usually forms in the femoral before common carotid)

Arteriosclerosis

Accumulation of serous fluids in the peritoneal cavity. (May result in stomach purge).

Ascites

Freedom from infection and from any form of life; sterility

Asepsis

Insufficient intake of oxygen resulting from numerous causes

(death beginning at the lungs)

Asphyxia / Apnea

Withdrawal of gas, fluids, and semi-solids from body cavities and hollow viscera by means of suction with an aspirator and a trocar

Aspiration

Apparatus used for sterilization by steam pressure, usually at 250 F/ 120 C for a specific time.

Autoclave

Self-destruction of cells; decomposition of all tissues by enzymes of their own formation without microbial assistance

Autolysis

A postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body to determine cause of death or pathological condition; a necropsy,

Autopsy / Necropsy /Postmortem Examination

Destructive to bacteria. Kills bacteria

Bactericidal Agent

Agent that has the ability to inhibit or retard bacterial growth. Does not kill the bacteria

Bacteriostatic Agent

The arm pit

Base of the Axillary Space

A carcinogen potentially produced when formaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite come into contact with each other; normally occurs only in a controlled laboratory setting and requires a catalyst.

Bischloromethyl Ether / BCME

Biological agent or condition that constitutes a hazard to humans

Biohazard

Bloodborne pathogens, blood or body fluids exposure, any potentially infective, contaminated waste associated with the preparation of human remains that constitutes a hazard to humans in the workplace.

Biohazardous Waste / Infectious waste

Irreversible somatic death,

Biological Death

A chemical which lightens a skin discoloration

Bleaching Agent

Tissue that circulates through the vascular system and is composed of approximately 22% solids and 78% water.

Blood

The pressure exerted by the blood in the living body on the arterial wall measured in millimeters of mercury. (Normal 120 / 80)

Blood Pressure

Circulatory network composed of the heart, arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins.

Blood Vascular System

OSHA REGULATION (29CFR 1910-1030) regulating the employee's exposure to blood and other body fluids. OSHA DEFINITIONS: Blood. Human blood, human blood components, and products made from human blood.

Bloodborne Pathogen Rule

Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans; these pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Bloodborne pathogens

Acute, deep-seated inflammation in the skin which usually begins as a subcutaneous swelling in a hair follicle.

Boil / Furuncle

INDIVIDUAL stitch knotted at the tissue edge; maybe applied prior to embalming to align tissues.

Bridge Suture / Temporary Interrupted Suture

Vestibule of the oral cavity; the space between the lips, gums, and teeth

Buccal Cavity

A chemical which affects the stabilization of the acid-base (pH) balance within embalming solutions and in the embalmed tissues.

Buffers

Dead human body used for medical purposes: including transplantation, anatomical dissection and study.

Cadaver

A prolongation of the last violent contraction of the muscles into the rigidity of death

Cadaveric Spasm

The dome-like superior portion of the cranium; that portion removed during cranial autopsy.

Calvarium

A device used as a means of fastening the calvarium after a cranial autopsy.

Calvarium Clamp

Minute blood vessels, the walls of which comprise a single layer of endothelial cells. Connect the smallest arteries (arteriole) with the smallest veins (venule) and are where pressure filtration occurs.

Capillaries

Ability of substances to diffuse through capillary walls into the tissue spaces

Capillary Permeability

Circumscribed inflammation of the skin and deeper tissues that ends in suppuration and is accompanied by systemic symptoms, such as fever and leukocytosis

Carbuncle

A cancer-causing chemical or material

Carcinogen

Direct treatment, other than vascular (arterial) injection, of the contents of the body cavities and the lumina of the hollow viscera; usually accomplished by ASPIRATION and INJECTION.

Cavity Embalming

Embalming chemicals which are injected into the cavities of the body following the aspiration in cavity embalming can also be used as the chemical in hypodermic and surface embalming because it cauterizes and bleaches and has no dyes to blotch tissues.

Cavity Fluid

Death of the individual cells of the body

Cellular Death

Ascending and/or arch of the aorta

Center of Fluid Distribution

Right atrium of the heart

Center of Venous Drainage

Embalming machine that uses an electrical pump to create pressure either pulsating or non-pulsating.

Centrifugal Force Machine

A change in the body's chemical composition that occurs after death such as hemolysis. (Decomposition, Postmortem Stain, Postmortem Caloricity, pH changes, Rigor Mortis)

Chemical Postmortem Change

the application of chemical reagents in the treatment of disease in humans, causing an elevated preservation demand.

Chemotherapy / Chemotherapeutic Agents

A phase of somatic death lasting from 5-6 minutes during which life may be restored.

Clinical Death

drainage procedure that limits the exposure of the embalmer to the drainage tubing is attached to a drain tube allowing drainage to flow directly from a vein into a sanitary disposal system; tubing may also be attached to a trocar and aspirator allowing drainage to be taken from the right atrium of the heart to the sanitary disposal system.

Closed System Drainage

Chemical and physical agents that bring about coagulation. (The action of HCHO on protein)

Coagulating Agents

A fluid used primarily to supplement and enhance the action of vascular (arterial) solutions.

Coinjection Fluid

The irreversible cessation of brain activity and loss of consciousness; death beginning at the brain

Coma

Disease that may be transmitted either directly or indirectly between individuals by an infectious agent.

Communicable Disease

Method of drainage in which drainage occurs continuously during vascular (arterial) injection.

Concurrent Drainage

Disease that may be transmitted between individuals, with reference to the organism that causes a disease.

Contagious Disease

The presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface

Contaminated

Any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to, needles, scalpels, broken glass, and exposed ends of wires

Contaminated sharps

That portion of the cornea recovered for transplantation.

Corneal Sclera Button

An official of a local community who holds inquests concerning sudden, violent, and unexplained deaths

Coroner

Having an abnormal amount of fat on the body. Will accelerate the rate of human decomposition.

Corpulence / Obesity

Embalming fluid that contains dyes and coloring agents intended to restore a more natural skin tone through the embalming process.

Cosmetic Fluid

Dye that helps to cover internal discolorations such as jaundice.

Counter Staining Compound

Plastic garment designed to cover the body from the chest down to the upper thigh.

Coverall

Method used to embalm the contents of the cranial cavity through aspiration and injection of the cranial chamber by passage of a trocar through the cribriform plate.

Cranial Embalming

Crackling sensation produced when gases trapped in tissues are palpated, as in subcutaneous emphysema.

Crepitation

A disease of the central nervous system with unknown etiology assumed to be caused by a prion; because of unknown etiology, caregivers using invasive procedures use extreme caution.

Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease (CJD)

Thin, medial portion of the ethmoid bone of the skull.

Cribriform Plate

Irreversible cessation of all vital functions (Nonlegal definition)

Death

Noise made by a moribund person caused by air passing through a residue of mucous in the trachea and posterior oral cavity.

Death Rattle

The semi-convulsive twitches which often occur before death.

Death Struggle

Decomposition of proteins by enzymes of aerobic bacteria

Decay

Separation of compounds into simpler substances by the action of Microbial and/or autolytic enzymes with an optimum temp of 98 degrees F

FINAL AND POSITIVE SIGN OF DEATH

(signs - odor, color, purge, gas, & desquamation)

Decomposition