Massachusetts Funeral Director Practice Exam

What condition can be addressed through arterial injection?

1. Lividity

2. Rigor mortis

3. Decomposition

4. Hypostasis

The correct answer is: Rigor mortis

Arterial injection is primarily used to preserve the body and disinfect tissues in the preparation process for funeral services. Among the conditions listed, rigor mortis refers to the stiffening of the muscles after death, which occurs due to biochemical processes as the body breaks down. Although arterial injection may have some effects on the body’s overall appearance and preservation, it does not directly reverse or address rigor mortis. The correct answer focuses on the capacity of arterial injection to address issues related to the distribution of embalming fluids, which can help in maintaining the body's appearance during the viewing process and extending the time before decomposition sets in. Lividity indicates the pooling of blood, and hypostasis refers to the settling of blood in the lower parts of the body due to gravity after death; both are conditions that may be visually impacted by proper arterial injection as part of the embalming process. Decomposition is a more advanced post-mortem phase that arterial injection cannot directly address, as it occurs when the body begins to break down regardless of embalming techniques. In summary, while the arterial injection interacts with various postmortem conditions, it is particularly aligned with considerations relevant to preserving the physical state of the body, which indirectly supports the management of rigor mortis through overall