William Watson was disturbed by the treatment he received at the funeral home when his father-in-law was cremated. Watson's complaints have brought attention to the question of how funeral homes dispose of medical implants. DANA ROMANOFF/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

William Watson was disturbed by the treatment he received at the funeral home when his father-in-law was cremated. Watson's complaints have brought attention to the question of how funeral homes dispose of medical implants. DANA ROMANOFF/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Before they begin their work, crematory operators want to know what's inside the bodies they cremate

Date published: 2/18/2007

By JIM HALL

William Watson got conflicting answers when he asked the crematory operators what would happen to his father-in-law's replacement knees.

At first, the Stafford County resident was told that the metal knees would survive the furnace fire and would be returned to the manufacturer, presumably for resale. Then Watson was told that the knees had been sent to North Carolina for burial.

The confusion was upsetting, Watson said. But his experience also highlights a little-known aspect of cremation: that many deceased arrive for cremation with high-tech medical devices inside them. And no one is quite sure what to do with them.

Some of the devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators, are harvested for study or reuse. But other implants are burned up, thrown away, buried or returned to the families.

Those who choose cremation soon learn that in death, as in life, health matters.

Cremation is increasingly popular in the United States. In 2005, Virginia families chose cremation in more than one-fourth of all deaths, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Nationwide, the figure is closer to one in three.

"Cremation hasn't come here as quickly as it has in other areas, but it is growing very quickly," said Susan Motley, executive director of the Virginia Funeral Directors Association.

The cremation process can be complicated, however, by the array of medical devices and implants used to improve and extend life. Crematory operators now find that an increasing number of their customers have artificial parts, from pins and plates to battery-powered pacemakers.

In 2004, U.S. surgeons implanted 478,000 replacement knees and 234,00 replacement hips, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

The number of implanted pacemakers and defibrillators topped 180,000 in 2005, according to the Heart Rhythm Foundation.

Because of this trend, crematory operators now quiz families about their loved ones' medical histories. At Covenant Funeral Service in Fredericksburg, families sign an authorization form that specifically mentions medical devices.

Families learn that dental bridgework and dental fillings are usually destroyed after three hours in the 1,650-degree crematory fire.

Artificial knees and hips survive the furnace fire but are not reusable, said J. David Mullins, owner of Covenant.

"I have not had the experience of anybody wanting those returned," Mullins said. "After cremation what we're seeing is like a screw or a bolt."

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Date published: 2/18/2007