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Chemistry > (Q4) Embalming Fluids > Flashcards

(Q4) Embalming Fluids Flashcards

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1
Q

Types of Embalming Fluids

A
  • Preservatives
  • Supplementary Germicides
  • Modifying Agents
  • Anticoagulants
  • Surfactants
  • Dyes
  • Deodorants
  • Vehicles
  • (Autopsy chemicals)
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2
Q

Preservatives

A
  • Fluids that alter the proteins in the body so the enzymes of decomposition do not work
  • Alters proteins structure
  • Alters enzymes
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3
Q

Examples of Preservatives

A
  • Aldehydes
  • Alcohols
  • Phenolic Compounds
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4
Q

Aldehydes

A
  • All aldehydes work by cross-linking proteins
  • Smaller aldehydes (formaldehyde) produce better firmness than dialdehydes (glutaraldehyde) because they produce more cross-links
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5
Q

Most commonly used aldehydes in embalming:

A

Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde

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6
Q

Aliphatic Alcohols

A
  • Methanol (wood alcohol)
  • Ethanol (grain alcohol)
  • Isopropanol (rubbing alcohol)
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7
Q

What does methanol also do in embalming fluid?

A
  • Antipolymerizing product (extends shelf-life)
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8
Q

What does ethanol also do in embalming fluid?

A
  • Increases the solubility of formaldehyde (keeps it in the solution)
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9
Q

What does isopropanol also do in embalming fluid?

A
  • Increases diffusion of formaldehyde
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10
Q

Aromatic Alcohols

A
  • Phenol and Phenolic Compounds
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11
Q

What is Phenol?

A
  • Aromatic Alcohol
  • Weak Acid
  • Used as a disinfectant, bleaching Agent, and preservative
  • Other names: Hydroxybenze and Carbolic Acid
  • Perservative used in anatomical specimens
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12
Q

Disadvantage of Phenol

A
  • It may turn the tissue a putty gray color when used with an aldehyde
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13
Q

Supplementary Germicides

A
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs)
  • Glutaraldehyde
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14
Q

Example of Phenol in a commercial product

A

Dodge Dryene

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15
Q

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs)

A
  • Surfactant
  • Widely used for the disinfection of instruments, skin, oral and nasal passages,
  • Easily neutralized by soaps and anionic substances found in arterial fluids (so their use is restricted to surface disinfection and specialty fluids
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16
Q

Example of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs) in a commercial product

A

Dodge Dis-Spray

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17
Q

Glutaraldehyde

A
  • A dialdehyde
  • best germicide of the aldehydes
  • Cold chemical sterilant (cold or liquid sterilizing agent)
  • Mainly used for sterilizing instruments but can be present in arterial fluids
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18
Q

Modifying Agents

A
  • Agents that modify the action of harsh substances in arterial fluids
  • Humectants
  • Buffers
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19
Q

Humectants

A

Moisture-retaining agents
- Help to offset dehydration by imparting a pliable and flexible effect to the tissues

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20
Q

Examples of Humectants

A
  • Glycerol
  • Glycols
  • Sorbitol
  • Water-soluble Lanolin compounds
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21
Q

What type of alcohols are glycols?

A

Dihydroxy alcohols

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22
Q

Examples of glycols

A
  • hexylene glycol
  • ethylene glycol
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23
Q

What type of alcohol is glycerol?

A

trihydroxy alcohol

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24
Q

What type of alcohol is sorbitol?

A

Polyhydroxy alcohol

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25
Q

What is Lanolin?

A
  • a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals. (sheep)
  • A humectant
  • Acts as an emollient (gives a soft-like feel to the body) when injected into the body
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26
Q

Example of a humectant in a commercial product

A

Dodge Restorative

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27
Q

Buffers

A

Substances that resist change in pH when an acid or a base is added to a solution

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28
Q

Why are buffers important to have in your embalming solution?

A
  • somatic death is followed by a pH shift
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29
Q

Examples of Buffers

A
  • Borax (sodium borate)
  • Disodium phosphate
  • sodium bicarbonate
  • EDTA (both a buffer and anticoagulant)
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30
Q

Anticoagulants

A
  • Substances that will react with the calcium ions to help resist clotting making the blood easier to remove
  • Also known as water conditioning agents
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31
Q

Why are anticoagulants important to have in your embalming solution?

A
  • Ionized calcium is one of the key factors in blood coagulation
  • Dissolved calcium ions can cause a condition known as water hardness
  • In embalming, water is the principal vehicle so the calcium ion content of the water must be controlled
  • Hard water contributes to blood clotting and interferes with drainage
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32
Q

Examples of anticoagulants

A
  • EDTA
  • Sodium or potassium citrate
  • Sodium or potassium oxalates
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33
Q

Example of an anticoagulant in commercial use

A

Dodge Rectifiant

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34
Q

Surfactants

A
  • Substances that reduce the surface tension of a liquid
  • Also known as wetting agents or surface active agents
35
Q

Why are surfactants important to have in your embalming solution?

A
  • Surface tension is the force that acts on the surface of a liquid and tends to minimize surface area
  • A similar tension exists between liquids and the surface of a cell membrane interfering with the diffusion of the liquid into the cell
  • Surfactants facilitate the flow of embalming chemicals through the capillary walls and into the tissue to ensure complete diffusion and saturation of the tissue cells by the preservatives
36
Q

Examples of surfactants

A

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

37
Q

Dyes

A
  • Substances that impart color to the skin (active dye) or impart color to the liquid in the container (inactive dye)
  • Embalming active dyes range from a pale yellow color to a bright red color
38
Q

Examples of Dyes

A
  • Eosin
  • Erythrosin
  • Ponceau Red
  • Icterin
39
Q

Eosin

A
  • A yellowish-orange color
  • Stains the tissue (active dye)
40
Q

Erythrosin

A
  • A cherry red color
  • Stains the tissue (active dye)
41
Q

Ponceau Red

A
  • A red color
  • A non-staining dye used primarily to color the fluid rather than stain the tissues (inactive dye)
42
Q

Icterin

A
  • Yellowish color
43
Q

Reodorants

A
  • Substances that mask odor
  • Perfuming or masking agents
44
Q

Deodorants

A
  • Substances that destroy odors
45
Q

Why are reodorants and deodorants important?

A

They cover up the harsh odors of the preservatives and the disinfectants found in embalming fluids

46
Q

Examples of reodorants and deodorants

A
  • Benzaldehyde
  • Oil of Wintergreen (methyl salicylate)
  • Oil of Cloves
  • Oil of Sassafras
  • Cinnamaldehyde
47
Q

Vehicles

A
  • Solvent: The liquid medium that the embalming chemicals are dissolved in
  • The vehicle is what carries the embalming agent to the tissues and improves distribution and diffusion
48
Q

Examples of Vehicles

A
  • Water
  • Methanol
  • Ethanol
  • Glycerin
49
Q

Water

A
  • The main vehicle for arterial fluids
50
Q

Methanol

A
  • A vehicle that also has preservative action and prevents the polymerization of aldehydes
51
Q

Ethanol

A
  • A vehicle that also improves the solubility of formaldehyde in water
52
Q

Glycerin

A
  • A vehicle that is also used as a humectant
53
Q

Cavity Fluids

A
  • Fluids used to thoroughly embalm the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities and organs
  • Have a different composition than arterial fluids
54
Q

How are cavity fluids different than arterial fluids?

A
  • Cavity fluids contain a much higher concentration of disinfectants and preservatives than arterial fluids
  • Cavity fluids usually do not contain dyes, deodorants, humectants, or buffers (no need for a restorative effect)
55
Q

Why are cavity fluids important?

A
  • Arterial embalming alone will not thoroughly disinfect and preserve human remains
  • The thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities and the organs they contain must receive supplementary embalming treatment
56
Q

The pH of cavity fluid

A
  • Acidic: 4.5-5.2
  • The pH of the cavity fluid results in efficient action of the formaldehyde with the tissue proteins
57
Q

Pre-Injection Fluid

A
  • Substance that prepares the vascular system for the injection of preservatives and disinfectants
  • Introduced into the vascular system against closed drainage before arterial embalming
  • (Ex. Capillary wash: not often used anymore, used to warm and soften vessels before embalming with arterial)
58
Q

Contents of Pre-Injection Fluids

A
  • Water conditioning agents
  • surfactants
  • humectants
  • Low concentration or no concentration of preservative
59
Q

Examples of pre-injection fluids in commercial use

A
  • Dodge proflow
  • Dodge metaflow
  • Dodge one point
60
Q

Coinjection Fluids

A
  • Substances mixed with arterial fluids so they are injected concurrently
  • Have a very similar composition to preinjection fluids
61
Q

Contents in Coinjection Fluids

A
  • Humectants
  • Cosmetic Dyes
62
Q

Examples of coinjection fluids in commercial use

A
  • Dodge regal
  • Dodge restorative has humectant
63
Q

Accessory Fluids

A
  • Fluids used for special restorative conditions
64
Q

Examples of Accessory Fluids

A
  • Jaundice Fluids
  • Advanced Decomposition Fluids
  • Edema Fluids
65
Q

Jaundice Fluids

A
  • Fluids to combat the yellow skin discoloration from jaundice
66
Q

Why are jaundice fluids important?

A
  • Jaundice is a pathological condition that causes a yellow discoloration of the skin
  • Jaundice results from excessive amounts of the bile pigment bilirubin
  • Arterial fluids can convert bilirubin into biliverdin, which produces a greenish discoloration
  • Neither discoloration is desirable for the purposes of restoration
67
Q

Examples of Jaundice Fluids

A
  • Masking Fluids
  • Bleaching Agents
  • Nonformadehyde fluids
68
Q

Masking Agents

A

Fluids that have a medium concentration of formaldehyde and cosmetic dyes

69
Q

Bleaching Agents

A
  • Fluids that have a bleaching effect on the bilirubin.
  • Have a medium concentration of formaldehyde
70
Q

Non-formaldehyde Fluids

A

Fluids designed to remove discoloration by flushing them from the tissues and the vascular system

71
Q

Advanced Decomposition or Unusual Pathological Conditions Fluids

A

Fluids that contain:
- High index fluid (30+ index)
- Ethanol: increases the solubility of the formaldehyde in water

72
Q

Edema Fluids

A
  • Fluids that control the edema in the body
73
Q

Tips for edematous cases

A
  • Never use a preinjection fluid
  • Varying the dilution of the arterial solution will be necessary
  • Use restricted cervical injection and/or multipoint injection
74
Q

Autopsy Chemicals

A
  • Chemicals use to preserve autopsy cases
75
Q

Why are autopsy chemicals important?

A
  • During autopsies, the thoracic and abdominopelvic organs are removed from the cavities, then they are sectioned and replaced
  • The removal of organs interrupts the vascular supply to both the viscera and the cavities
  • Supplemental embalming treatment is required
76
Q

Hardening Compounds

A
  • Compounds in autopsy chemicals that treat the viscera
  • Purposes: dehydration, preservation, disinfection
77
Q

Contents in hardening autopsy chemicals

A
  • Paraformaldehyde
  • Alum
  • Aluminum chloride
  • Fillers
  • Plaster of Paris
78
Q

Paraformaldehyde

A
  • A preservative and disinfectant found in hardening autopsy chemicals
  • It is a solid (not a gas)
79
Q

Aluminum Chloride

A

A dehydrating agent and disinfectant found in hardening autopsy chemicals

80
Q

Fillers

A
  • A dehydrating agent and disinfectant found in hardening autopsy chemicals
  • Perlite
  • Cellulose (Sawdust)
81
Q

Plaster of Paris

A
  • A dehydrating agent found in hardening autopsy chemicals
82
Q

Liquid Gel Chemicals

A

Chemical substances used to treat the cavity walls of autopsied remains
- Generally the composition as cavity fluids, but in gel form to easily apply to the cavity walls

83
Q

Example of a liquid gel chemical in commercial use

A

Dodge Sin-gel

Chemistry (22 decks)

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