Determining Cause and Time of Death Autopsy and

Determining Cause and Time of Death Autopsy and Methods to Determine Time of Death

Autopsies Define: postmortem examination to determine why and how a person died l An autopsy is performed by a pathologist l Certain deaths are required by law to be examined by the medical examiners office l l Sudden or unexpected l Suspicious circumstances l Result of injury

Reasons for an Autopsy Determine which disease or injury caused death l Diagnosis-confirm a diagnosis or better understand a diagnosis l Evaluate possible public health issue l Collect evidence in criminal cases l

Preparation If not required by law, next of kin must give consent l Legal consent form must be signed l If autopsy is required by law, no consent form is needed l

Procedure Complete medical history and review of records l External exam l l Body tag l Weight and height l Clothing and valuables identified l Distinguishing body marks are documented l Pictures or x-rays

l Complete internal exam l Dissection of head and abdomen first l Organs removed and weighed, measured and examined l Tissue samples taken and examined l Fluid samples taken and analyzed

Completion of Autopsy Statement made to cause or manner of death l Classified as natural or unnatural death l Legal death certificate is signed l

Methods to Determine Time of Death l Rigor Mortis l Begins 3 hours after death in face and eyelid muscles l Takes twelve hours to affect the entire body l Process is reversed after 36 hours l Joints of the body become stiff and locked in place l Due to skeletal muscles partially contracting

l Lividity l Visible 30 -60 minutes after death l Due to red blood cells settling and skin turns red then purple l Color is permanent in 6 -10 hours after death

l Body Temperature l Falls at a rate of one degree per hour after death depending on temperature conditions in the environment l Obesity and warmer climates slow the cooling process l None of the above can be totally reliable indicators of time of death