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Y3R2 - Forensic ⚠️ > L2: Post-Mortem Changes > Flashcards

L2: Post-Mortem Changes Flashcards

1
Q

What are Post-Mortem Changes?

A
  • Cooling of the body
  • Postmortem Hypostasis “Lividity” or “Livor-Mortis”
  • Postmortem Rigidity or “Rigor Mortis “ “Stiffness of Death “
  • Putrefaction or Decomposition
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2
Q

Def of Post-Mortem Cooling

A
  • Defined as gradual cooling of dead body until it comes in equilibrium with surrounding temperature.
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3
Q

Rate of Post-Mortem Cooling

A
  • The average rate of heat loss is about 1-1.5°C/h
  • Rate of cooling is not uniform
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4
Q

Mechanism of Post-Mortem Cooling

A
  • During life, there is balance between heat production and heat loss.
  • After death, heat production stops and body loses heat.
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5
Q

when does dead body attain environmental temperature?

A
  • Dead body attains environmental temperature “external surface cooling” in about 16-20hs from death.
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6
Q

what are factors that affect Post-Mortem Cooling?

A
  • Environmental temperature (Major factor)
  • Media of disposal
  • Mode and cause of death
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7
Q

how does media of disposal affect Post-Mortem Cooling?

A

In case of drowning in running water

  • Rate of heat loss is double that in the air
    (2-3° C /h).
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7
Q

How does environmental temperature affect Post-Mortem Cooling?

A
  • The dead body cools rapidly, when difference between environmental temperature and that of corpses is great as in the winter.
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8
Q

What types of deaths cause slow Post-Mortem Cooling?

A

occurs in deaths due to
* Infectious diseases
* Heat stroke (fever).

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9
Q

What types of deaths cause fast Post-Mortem Cooling?

A

occurs in deaths due to

  • Long wasting illness as T.B
  • or shock.
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10
Q

MLI of Post-Mortem Cooling

A
  • It is a sign of death.
  • It helps in rough estimation of time of death.
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11
Q

what are other names for Postmortem Hypostasis?

A

“Lividity” or “Livor-Mortis”

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12
Q

Def of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
  • It is bluish or purplish discoloration or staining of most dependent parts of body skin and internal organs after death.
  • It is called “Postmortem staining” or “Darkening of death”.
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13
Q

Mechanism of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
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14
Q

Onset of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
  • Usually begins immediately after death
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15
Q

Shape of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
  • Begins as small mottled patches on dependent parts of body within 1-3 hs.
  • Mottled patches coalesce with each other to form uniformly stained large areas
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16
Q

Color of Postmortem Hypostasis

A

Has same color as blood that can be mistaken for bruises.

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17
Q

Blanching of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
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18
Q

Fixation of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
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19
Q

Absence of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
  • Hypostasis does not develop over areas of contact flattening
  • This phenomenon is known as contact pallor as vessels in these areas remain pressurized and the blood is compressed out.
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20
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis as a sign of death

A
  • Hypostasis is a sure sign of death
  • it is one of the best proofs for somatic death.
20
Q

MLI of Postmortem Hypostasis

A
  • A sign of Death
  • Important in Determination of Time passed since death
  • Important in determination of Cause of death
21
Q

Importance of Postmortem Hypostasis in detection of time passed since death

A
  • It helps to estimate time passed since death from
    formation, extension and fixation of postmortem staining.
  • There is early onset hypostasis in case of a person who died after. prolonged recumbent position
22
Q

Importance of Postmortem Hypostasis in detection of casue of death

A

It gives an idea about the cause of death

  • From its position
  • From its color
23
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in cases of hanging

A

The site of distribution and pattern of lividity depend upon the position of body after death

  • Hypostasis is observed over dependent (Lower limbs, External genitalia, Distal parts of forearms and hands)
24
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in cases of drowning

A
24
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in natural death

A

Bluish purple

25
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in hemorrhage & Severe anemia

A

Very faint

26
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in asphyxia

A

Deep blue

27
Q

Postmortem Hypostasis in cases of CO Poisoning

A

Red color

28
Q

Color of Postmortem Hypostasis and what it indicates

A
29
Q

DDx of Postmortem Hypostasis

A

In certain cases, isolated patches of lividity remain separate from large areas of lividity and may resemble antemortem bruises.

30
Q

Compare between PM lividity & AM Bruises

A
31
Q

what is another name for Postmortem Rigidity?

A

“Rigor Mortis “ or “Stiffness of Death

32
Q

Def of Postmortem Rigidity

A
  • It is a condition of progressive stiffening and rigidity of both voluntary and involuntary muscles,
33
Q

what precedes and follows Postmortem Rigidity?

A
  • Preceded by period of primary flaccidity
  • Followed by secondary flaccidity.
34
Q

Mechanism of Postmortem Rigidity

A
35
Q

Timeline of Postmortem Rigidity

A
  • 2 hours after death
  • 12 hours after death
  • 48 hours after death
36
Q

Postmortem Rigidity 2 hours after death

A
  • Rigor mortis starts to appear 2 hours after death in small muscles then spreads from above downwards.
  • It affects firstly muscles of eye lids, and then jaw, muscles of face, neck and trunk, followed by muscles of upper limbs and then lower limbs.
37
Q

Postmortem Rigidity 12 hours after death

A

Rigor mortis takes 12 hours to be completed all over body “Fixed body”.

38
Q

Postmortem Rigidity 48 hours after death

A
  • Rigor mortis disappears completely in about 36-48 hours after death.
  • The rigid muscles start to soften gradually in same order of their occurrence
39
Q

testing of Postmortem Rigidity

A
40
Q

what are factors affecting Postmortem Rigidity?

A
41
Q

MLI of Postmortem Rigidity

A
  • Rigor mortis helps to estimate time passed since death by marching of rigor.
  • Rigor mortis can give information about position of the body at time of death.
42
Q

Site of Cadaveric Spasm

A
  • It is usually limited to a single group of voluntary muscles
  • frequently involves the hands
42
Q

Def of Cadaveric Spasm

A
  • It is stiffening of specific group of voluntary muscles, immediately after death, without being precedod by stage of primary flaccidity.
43
Q

Examples of Cadaveric Spasm

A
44
Q

DDx of Cadaveric Spasm

A
45
Q

Def of Putrefaction or Decomposition

A
  • It is a biological process caused by growth of bacteria on organic matter of dead body transforming it into inorganic state.
46
Q

Mechanism of Putrefaction or Decomposition

A
47
Q

Onset of Putrefaction or Decomposition

A

Putrefaction starts after

  • 24hs after death in summer
  • 48hs in winter.
48
Q

External signs of Putrefaction or Decomposition

A

Y3R2 - Forensic ⚠️ (7 decks)

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