{"id":2729,"date":"2015-01-03T17:13:56","date_gmt":"2015-01-04T01:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.imortuary.com\/blog\/?p=2729"},"modified":"2014-12-10T17:23:46","modified_gmt":"2014-12-11T01:23:46","slug":"crematoriumsfuneral-homes-prosthetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imortuary.com\/blog\/crematoriumsfuneral-homes-prosthetics\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Crematoriums\/Funeral Homes do with Prosthetics?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"What<\/a>During funeral planning, one of the things most families already know is that they’ll need to have devices like pacemakers removed before a loved one can be cremated. Any medical device with an electronic component (pacemakers, internal cardiac defibrillators, etc.) has the potential to explode when in contact with the high heat associated with cremation.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, prosthetics include much more than pacemakers. Prosthetic limbs, breast implants, fake hips, and even tooth fillings all fall under this umbrella category. While some of these items are easily disposed of, some—like expensive fake limbs—could be donated for future use.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Burying Prosthetics<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to burial, you can put just about anything in the ground as long as it won’t contaminate the ground. Many people put additional items in caskets for this very reason. Medals of Honor, heirlooms, favorite books…all these things can be laid to rest with the deceased, and most prosthetics also follow these guidelines.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In many cases, the funeral director will remove dangerous devices like a pacemaker or hazardous ones like mercury fillings, but it’s rare that a family asks for the item back.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cremating Prosthetics<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

External prosthetics (those that can be easily removed) are almost always taken off prior to cremation. The family has the option of keeping the prosthetic, disposing of it, or donating it. Internal prosthetics (including fake hips, pins used to hold bones in place, or non-mercury tooth fillings) are usually kept intact while cremation occurs. They are then removed from the bone and ash fragments and disposed of separately.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on the crematorium’s practice and the wishes of the family, the prosthetics may disposed of one of many ways:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n