Forensic Pathology Flashcards
What are the types of autopsies?
(1) A: full autopsy: skull, y-incision, anything else that is needed (normally done for homicide); (2) B: y-incision; (3) C: blood drawing; and (4) D: least instrusive – a visual examination b/c of medical history (usually done w/ elderly people).
How is time of death calculated?
There are four temperatures used: (1) ambient, (2) liver, (3) rigor, and (4) lividity. Detail: (1) the ambient temperature is essentially the room temperature. (2) liver temperature, known as algor mortis, is done b/c the liver retains warmth the longest when someone dies. It cools down approximately a degree and a half to two degrees every hour the person has been deceased. (3) rigor, known as rigor mortis, is when the muscles start to get stiff. Measured on a scale of 1 – 4. 1 is the least and 4 is full rigor (can’t extend the arm). At 4, the person has been dead at least 8-12 hours. (4) lividity, known as livor mortis, is the measurement of the blood platelets that settle when someone dies.
What are the modes of death?
(1) natural; (2) homicide; (3) suicide; (4) accidental; and (5) undetermined.
What are the characteristics of decomposition?
(1) early decomp: 2-4 days: discoloration, marbling, bloating, tissue dryness, skin slip, purge; (2) moderate decomp: 4-7 days: increased bloating, generalized discoloration, marked skin slippage, fluid seepage for wet decomp, mummification for dry decomp, bloating, maggots, dehydration, effects eye sockets; (3) moderate-severe: 7-20 days: more fluids, blistering builds up on the body (might pop when the body is moved), lots of maggots; (4) advanced: 20-40 days: the body becomes more mummified, but this depends on the weather; and (5) skeletonization: when depends on temp, timeo f year (summer is faster, drug & alcohol use, and when the body is found.
