Massachusetts Funeral Director Practice Exam

What should you do to open wounds to prevent arterial fluid leakage?

1. Apply Emulient cream

2. Use sutures to close the wound

3. Compress the wound with gauze

4. Seal the wound with adhesive

The correct answer is: Apply Emulient cream

To effectively manage wounds and prevent arterial fluid leakage during embalming, it is essential to ensure that the wound is appropriately treated. Applying emollient cream can help to create a barrier that retains moisture, which may assist in providing a better seal and preventing leakage. The primary goal when dealing with open wounds is to create a means of containment for the arterial fluid introduced during the embalming process. By using emollient cream, you can enhance the surface condition of the skin around the wound, which may contribute to better adhesion of any further treatments or closures applied afterward. In this context, methods such as suturing, compressing with gauze, or sealing with adhesive serve different purposes. Sutures are primarily for closing larger wounds but may not be appropriate for all situations. Compressing with gauze can be useful for managing bleeding but does not provide a long-term solution for sealing a wound. Sealing the wound with adhesive is a common practice, but the effectiveness may be compromised if the underlying surface isn't adequately treated first, hence the role of emollients. Thus, the use of emollient cream in preparation is a viable first step in wound management during the embalming process to help prevent fluid leakage.