AUTOPSY AND POSTMORTEM CHANGES

Autopsy (postmortem examination) is a medical procedure of a complex examination of corpse to find a direct cause of death, basic disease(s) and coexisting pathological conditions. It consists of macro- and microscopic examination.

Why do we perform postmortem examination??

In order that:

Types of autopsy:

Medical autopsy:

Forensic autopsy:

Violent deaths by:

For forensic autopsy no family permission is necessary.

Procedures that may alleviate the need to perform a complete autopsy in the presence of religious objections:  

Autopsy biosafety

RIGOR MORTIS

Rigor mortis

-Usually visible within 2–4 hours after death- Fully developed 6–12 hours after death

Rigor mortis

There are two main factors which influence it start and duration.

Rigor mortis:

LIVOR MORTIS

(HYPOSTASIS, POST MORTEM LIVIDITY, POSTMORTEM SUGGILLATIONS)

Lividity is a dark purple colouration of the skin resulting from the stasis of blood in veins and capillary beds. It develops post mortem due to gravitational pull.

Color of postmortem suggilationes can be different from typical in following conditions :

Lividity appears

Postmortem hypostasis can...

ALGOR MORTIS

Algor mortis

Factors influencing the corpse temperature are:

Postmortem cooling develops due to:

PALOR MORTIS

POSTMORTEM DECOMPOSITION

POSTMORTEM DECOMPOSITION

– Autolysis:– Putrefaction:

Putrefaction

Putrefaction

The main symptoms which can be recognised here are:  

Decomposition

Decomposition

General sequence of decomposition:

ADIPOCERE (SAPONIFICATION)

It is transformation of the fatty tissues into a yellow-white, greasy, but dry, wax-like substance.

The saponification process is…

MUMMIFICATION

Mummification needs...

MACERATION

Maceration is the aseptic autolysis of the fetus who died in the utero and remained closed within the amniotic sac.