BMS Restorative Art 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'worm suture' is best used in restorative art for:
- Closing long incisions with good tissue approximation (Correct answer)
- Closing small puncture wounds
- Reattaching avulsed tissue flaps
- Sealing the mouth shut
Correct answer: Closing long incisions with good tissue approximation
The worm (or whip) suture is well-suited for closing long incisions where tissue edges can be brought together evenly.
Question 2: Which principle of color theory is applied when using a peach or orange-toned under-coat to correct blue-purple bruising?
- Analogous color harmony
- Complementary color neutralization (Correct answer)
- Monochromatic value shift
- Split-complementary blending
Correct answer: Complementary color neutralization
Complementary color neutralization uses the opposite hue on the color wheel (orange-peach) to cancel blue-purple discoloration.
Question 3: When a skull has been fractured and portions of bone are missing, the embalmer uses what to reconstruct cranial contour before applying surface restoration?
- Plaster of Paris bandage
- Rigid cardboard forms
- Expanding floral foam or similar supportive filler (Correct answer)
- Additional modeling wax layered to full thickness
Correct answer: Expanding floral foam or similar supportive filler
Expanding foam or similar rigid filler provides a stable, lightweight internal scaffold to restore cranial contour before surface wax work.
Question 4: The 'stippling' technique in cosmetic application is used to:
- Blend foundation into the hairline
- Create a natural skin texture appearance over wax-restored areas (Correct answer)
- Apply lip color with precision
- Remove excess cosmetic pigment
Correct answer: Create a natural skin texture appearance over wax-restored areas
Stippling uses a sponge or brush in a dabbing motion to impart a pore-like skin texture to wax restorations, making them appear natural.
Question 5: A body recovered from water (drowning victim) with significant skin slip presents which unique restorative challenge?
- Excessive dehydration making wax adhesion poor
- Detachment of the epidermis making adhesion and cosmetics difficult (Correct answer)
- Extreme rigidity requiring mechanical muscle release
- Hyperpigmentation requiring bleaching compounds
Correct answer: Detachment of the epidermis making adhesion and cosmetics difficult
Skin slip (maceration and epidermal detachment) creates an unstable surface that makes adhesion of wax and cosmetics extremely difficult.
Question 6: Autopsy cases require incision closure prior to dressing. What type of suture is preferred for the thoraco-abdominal incision?
- Interrupted simple sutures
- Running baseball (locking) suture (Correct answer)
- Purse-string suture
- Figure-of-eight suture
Correct answer: Running baseball (locking) suture
The running baseball (locking) suture is standard for autopsy incisions because it closes the long incision securely and minimizes leakage.
Question 7: In the context of restorative art, 'excising' refers to:
- Injecting fluid into a tissue defect
- Surgically removing damaged tissue to prepare a wound for closure (Correct answer)
- Stretching adjacent tissue over a defect
- Applying surface adhesive to wound edges
Correct answer: Surgically removing damaged tissue to prepare a wound for closure
Excising means removing necrotic, damaged, or irregular tissue to create a clean wound margin that will heal and close more naturally.
BMS Restorative Art 4
The 'worm suture' is best used in restorative art for: