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, waxlike 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.