Early Post-Mortem Changes

Overview

In this video, the focus is on early post-mortem changes that occur after death: Algor Mortis, Rigor Mortis, and Liver Mortis.

Algor Mortis (Post-Mortem Cooling)

• Definition: Cooling of the body after death.
• Initial Phase:
  • Body temperature does not drop immediately due to ongoing metabolism in still-functioning tissues.
  • Known as the plateau phase, lasts about 1 hour.
• Temperature Measurement:
  • Measured from core areas: rectum or sub hepatic space (under liver).
• Phases of Temperature Decline:
  1. Phase 1: Plateau phase (no drop in temperature).
  2. Phase 2: Linear temperature decrease at a rate of 0.4 to 0.6 °C per hour for 12-16 hours.
  3. Phase 3: Another plateau phase after 16 hours; temperature does not reach baseline due to bacterial activity.
• Conditions Delaying Decline:
  • Heat stroke (temperature remains high before starting to fall).
  • Conditions like tetanus, sticking poisoning, and septicemia can also delay the cooling process.

Liver Mortis (Post-Mortem Staining)

• Definition: Bluish-purple discoloration of the body due to blood pooling in dependent areas.
• Contact Pallor: Areas compressed against a surface do not exhibit staining (e.g., bony prominences).
• Stages of Liver Mortis:
  • 0-30 minutes: Initiation of liver mortis in dependent parts.
  • 4 hours: Large areas of staining can be observed.
  • 6-8 hours: Fixation occurs; staining pattern remains unchanged if body position is altered.
• Secondary Lividity:
  • Occurs if body is repositioned before fixation, changing the dependent areas of staining.
• Absence of Liver Mortis:
  • In cases like drowning or severe blood loss, post-mortem staining may not occur.
• Color Variations:
  • Different poisoning conditions lead to varied stain colors (e.g., cherry red in carbon monoxide poisoning).

Rigor Mortis (Cadaveric Rigidity)

• Definition: Stiffening of muscles after death.
• Difference from Cadaveric Spasm:
  • Cadaveric spasm occurs immediately and can give clues about the cause of death.
• Phases of Rigor Mortis:
  • Primary Flaccidity: Muscles are relaxed immediately after death.
  • Onset: Begins within 1-2 hours after death, peaks at 6-12 hours.
  • Secondary Flaccidity: Muscles eventually relax after rigor mortis.
• Mechanism:
  • Calcium leaks into sarcomeres post-death, leading to sustained muscle contraction as ATP is not available.
• Sequence of Onset:
  • Follows Nishtan's rule:
    1. Heart muscles
    2. Eyelids
    3. Neck
    4. Face
    5. Chest and upper limbs
    6. Abdomen and lower limbs
    7. Fingers and toes last.
• Duration:
  • Lasts longer in cooler environments (24-48 hours in winter, 18-36 hours in summer).

Conclusion

• Importance: Understanding these processes helps in determining time of death and the position of the body.
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Additional Notes

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