Postmortem Changes

1. cellular death

2. clinical or somatic death

3. legal death

4. brain death

1. observation

2. auscultation

3. palpation

• 4. instrumentation
• a. EKG
• b. EEG

1. Agonal Period

2. Early Period

3. Late Period

1. Perimortem interval

2. actual dying process

3. action possible

4. animals/ insects may arrive

1. breathing stops

2. circulation stops (vital reaction)

3. skin pallor

4. muscle relaxation

5. blood coagulation

6. eye changes

7. algor mortis (cooling)

8. livor mortis (blood setting)

9. rigor mortis (stiffening)

cooling of body after death

Postmortem hypostasis, lividity, or discoloration

Rupture of small blood vessels due to pressure of settling blood

common death by asphyxia

artifact of decomposition

Tardieu spots help in determining the body was moved after death

Autolysis is a postmortem tissue change which digestive enzymes break down protein, fat and carbs

apart of the sterile process

Autolysis decomposes during death

1. fresh

2. bloated

3. decay

4. dry

this stage begins at or around the time of death and continues until the onset of early bloating

Involves "inflation" of the body by gases produced by decomposition. This process affects the major body cavities, the organs and body walls.

Begins with first "venting" of gas and fluid from the bloated body. Also involves crack formation in the skin, allowing air to enter, facilitating aerobic decay

1. blue green skin discoloration

2. spread of above

3. marbling

4. bloating

Drying of the body or its parts, occurs under hot and dry conditions in the absence of bacterial action

Cold, wet conditions promote saponification of fat in association with bacteria such as Clostridium welchii. Adipocere inhibits further putrefaction

Complete removal of skin and soft tissue; promoted by animals, insects and other environmental factors