Funeral Service Mortuary Science and Pathology Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The post-mortem stiffening of muscles, known as rigor mortis, is primarily caused by the depletion of which molecule, leading to the formation of stable cross-bridges between muscle filaments?
- Glucose
- Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) (Correct answer)
- Lactic Acid
- Calcium
Correct answer: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Rigor mortis occurs because ATP is required to detach the myosin heads from the actin filaments in muscle cells. After death, ATP production ceases, and as the remaining ATP is used up, the myosin heads remain locked to the actin, causing the muscles to become stiff and rigid.
Question 2: An embalmer is preparing an arterial solution for a decedent who was highly acidotic at the time of death. Which type of chemical in the embalming fluid is specifically designed to counteract this acidic condition and maintain a stable pH for optimal formaldehyde reaction?
- Surfactant
- Humectant
- Buffer (Correct answer)
- Anticoagulant
Correct answer: Buffer
Buffers are chemical agents that resist changes in pH. In embalming fluid, they help to maintain a slightly alkaline environment, which is optimal for the cross-linking reaction between formaldehyde and proteins. This is crucial in cases of acidosis, as an acidic environment can neutralize formaldehyde and lead to poor preservation.
Question 3: When attempting to raise the femoral artery for injection, its anatomical guide is a line on the surface of the thigh from the center of the inguinal ligament to the center point on the medial condyle of the femur. The artery lies just lateral to which accompanying vessel?
- Femoral vein (Correct answer)
- Sciatic nerve
- Great saphenous vein
- Femoral nerve
Correct answer: Femoral vein
The femoral artery and femoral vein travel together in the femoral sheath. The anatomical relationship from medial to lateral is femoral vein, common femoral artery, and femoral nerve. Understanding this relationship is critical for successful vessel selection and to avoid accidentally injecting into the vein.
Question 4: A decedent presents with severe edema (swelling) of the eyelids. Which of the following is a recommended restorative art treatment to reduce the swelling PRIOR to the application of cosmetics?
- Applying a thick layer of massage cream to the area
- Using an electric spatula or heated tool (Correct answer)
- Injecting a tissue-building chemical directly into the eyelid
- Covering the area with opaque cosmetic foundation
Correct answer: Using an electric spatula or heated tool
An electric spatula, when used carefully with massage cream, can apply heat and pressure to the swollen tissues. This helps to dissipate the accumulated fluids and reduce the swelling. Other methods include external pressure, channeling, or aspiration. Injecting a tissue builder would worsen the swelling, and applying cosmetics is a final step after the swelling has been addressed.
Question 5: An embalmer is preparing a decedent whose cause of death was chronic renal failure. The embalmer should anticipate that the high levels of nitrogenous waste products, such as ammonia and urea, in the tissues will have what effect on the embalming process?
- Enhance the distribution of arterial fluid
- Cause immediate and intense livor mortis
- Decrease the post-mortem cooling rate (algor mortis)
- Increase the formaldehyde demand (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Increase the formaldehyde demand
Nitrogenous wastes, which are prevalent in cases of renal failure, have a high affinity for formaldehyde and will neutralize it. This creates a higher demand for formaldehyde to achieve proper tissue preservation, as much of the chemical is used up by the waste products before it can act on the tissue proteins.
Question 6: Which of the following pathological conditions requires the embalmer to take special precautions, including the use of disposable instruments and placing the body on a waterproof sheet, due to the highly resistant nature of the causative prion agent?
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatitis B
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) (Correct answer)
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Correct answer: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is caused by a prion, an infectious protein that is extremely resistant to standard disinfection and sterilization methods, including formaldehyde. Mortuary protocols for CJD cases often involve specific precautions to prevent contamination, such as using disposable instruments, placing the body on waterproof sheets to contain fluids, and enhanced cleaning with bleach.
