Module 4 Flashcards
(22 cards)
The pathologic death of body cells as a result of disease processes (eg., gangrene or decubitus ulcers)
Necrosis
The physiologic, or natural, death of cells as they complete their life cycle
Necrobiosis
A cooling or decrease of the body temperature prior to death
Agonal algor
An increase of the body temperature just prior to death
Agonal fever
The settling of blood into the dependent tissues of the body
Agonal hypostasis
Increases in tissue moisture in areas of hypostatsis causing edema; or decrease in moisture in tissues and body cavities causing dehydration
Agonal moisture change
The movement of microorganisms from one area of the body to another
Translocation
Clostridium perfringens produces anaerobic bacillus and within 1-2 hours of death it can be present in tissues and distend the tissues causing problems with embalming
Tissue gas
The postmortem cooling of the body
Algor mortis
A process by which blood settles, as a result of gravitational movement within the vessels, to the dependent, or lower parts of the body
Hypostasis
The thickness of a liquid; after death blood increases in viscosity and thickens
Viscosity
The settling of blood that brings about discoloration that appears within 1/2 to 2 hours after death; postmortem intravascular blood discoloration that occurs as result of hypostasis
Livor mortis
The loss of water from body tissues and fluids by surface evaporation
Dehydration
After death, the cells may still have a supply of oxygen, therefore, metabolism will continue. This creates heat and may be responsible for this elevated postmortem temperature
Postmortem caloricity
The extravascular blood discoloration brought about by the hemolysis of blood; pooling of blood in the dependent areas called livor mortis
Postmortem stain
The postmortem stiffening of muscles by natural processes; typically seen 2-4 hours after death
Rigor mortis
The process where the cells’ own digestive enzymes are released, and they digest the surrounding cellular material; self-decomposition; produces amino acids, sugars, fatty acids and glycerol
Autolysis
The single most important factor in the initiation of decomposition. A chemical reaction in which the chemical bonds of the substance are split by the addition or taking up of water
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis of proteins
Proteolysis
Protein decomposition
Putrefaction
Decomposition of proteins by aerobic bacteria (need oxygen to live)
Decay
Skin slip; The outer layers of the skin weaken because the deeper skin layers are undergoing autolysis.
Desquamation
