IN DRY BURN

❑ Complications and cause of death (write what you

see suitable to the case)
A- Immediate causes
✓ Poisoning (co, cyanide, nitric oxide)
✓ Massive tissue destruction
✓ Shock
✓ Suffocation and asphyxia by irritant smoke
B- After few days
✓ Hypovolemic shock
✓ Toxemia
✓ Fat embolism
✓ Septic peritonitis
C- latent causes
✓ Septicemia
✓ Bronchopnemonia
✓ Acute tubular necrosis
✓ Adrenal hemorrhage
MOIST BURN

I. Shock (neurogenic or hypovolemic)

II. Fluid & electrolyte disturbance
III. Toxemia and sepsis
IV. Acute renal failure
V. Hypothermia

ELECTROCUTION

Cause of death :-
➢ Head injury
➢ Organ damage
➢ Electrocution
Mode :-
✓ Cardiac arrhythmias ( vent.
Fibrillation &cardiac arrest)
✓ Respiratory arrest due to spastic
paralysis of respiratory muscles
✓ Affection of brainstem causing
either cardiac arrest or
respiratory paralysis (rare, if
current enters through the head)
✓ Non- electrical trauma (example: fall from
height
• Complications & cause of death in head injury
Complications

✓ Infection (spread via –direct spread in compound fracture,

infected scalp injuries, nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses causing:
meningitis, brain abscess, thrombosis of venous sinusis)

✓ Extradural Hge (if crack passes through embedded meningeal

artery)

✓ Associated brain injury

✓ Concussion &post-concussion syndrome

✓ post-traumatic epilepsy as mesodermal scarring of cortex irritate

the brain

n.b in fracture base (the previous complication plus cranial nerve

injury and csf leakage\]

Cause of death

.Immediate: fatal concussion, brain laceration, compression

.Delayed: sepsis , epilepsy

MECHANISM OF INJURY

IN EXTRA DURAL Hge::

. Rupture of middle meningeal a. transected by a fracture line.

Leakage of high pressure arterial blood strips back the dura
with progressive accumulation of hematoma..or Torn venous
sinuses .
Chronic sub dural::
Repeated minor trauma

Intracerebral hge:;

Mostly due to natural causes as hypertension

or trauma (from branches of middle cerebral a.)
 Def

Hypostasis “ P.M Lividity” = Livor Mortis

{ Passive settling of blood into dependant parts

of the body, due to cessation of circulation and
sedimentation of blood into the vessels of
these parts under effect of gravity… this leads
to skin discoloration (reddish-purple color) of
dependant parts of the body.}

Postmortem puterifaction

✓ The final soft tissue break down due to

bacterial enzymatic action on tissue cells
causing their disintegration and
liquefaction.
adipocere

✓ it is a relatively hard greasy wax material with an offensive and rancid odor. This partly replace
decomposition in extreme moist atmosphere.

mechanism

Hypostasis “ P.M Lividity” = Livor Mortis

Description  After death occurs, circulation of blood ceases

1,hypostasis
.{:PM hypostasis with purple color in
dependant areas(back) with pale areas in
sites of
pressure( shoulders and buttocks) and
& subsequent movement of blood is by gravity.
 Blood accumulates in the capillaries of the
dependent parts of the body → purple or
reddish purple discoloration of the adjacent
skin.
 Pressure areas such as the shoulder blades,
buttock →pale
Postmortem puterifaction

contact 1.the final soft tissue break down due to

flattening
2,putrefaction
Marbling of the veins on shoulder and chest
- Black discoloration on shoulder and chest
- Swelling of the face and distortion of features
• Foul bloody froth coming out of mouth &
nostrils.
bacterial enzymatic action on tissue cells
causing their disintegration and
liquefaction.
Discoloration seen is due to haemolysis
of blood, distension and foul smell are
due to liberation of gases (hydrogen
sulphid and methane)
2**mechanism of marbling{Bacteria colonize venous system ➔ hemolysis ➔
stain the vessel walls &adjacent tissues.
The course of these veins is visible as red
network then greenish, owing to its arboresent
pattern seen most clearly on the thighs, sides of the
abdomen, and chest and shoulders.}

Adipocere

Hydrolysis and hydrogenation of non-saturated fat into saturated hard fat will occur.
Takes Few weeks to few months depend on the amount of fat in the affected area and the amount of moisture
available

MLI

Hypostasis “ P.M Lividity” = Livor Mortis

✓ Sure sign of death

✓ Time passed since death: It shouldn't be
✓ used to estimate the time passed since
✓ death
✓ Position of the body at the time of
✓ death :from pattern of distribution
✓ Cause of death: from its color
✓ Confused with bruises
Postmortem puterifaction

1. Sure sign of death

2. Cause of death: e.g. rapid in death following septic conditions.
3. Time passed death:-
it is affected by:
➢ Extrinsic: (Environmental temperature, Humidity and Access to air).
➢ Intrinsic: (Age, Cause of death and Presence of blood).
➢ Adipocere and mummification
Helpful in preserving but to a limited extent, the identity of the body or the cause of death , e.g. stab or
gunshot wound.
description

1. Type:

2. Number:

3. Shape:

4. Color

5. Site and direction:

6. Dimensions (length cm, width cm, depth

mm)

7. Edges:

8. Angles: (med&lat). Acute or round

9. Tissue bridging :

10. Associated lesion: e.g. No abrasion or

contusion

-complications:
Early : Late:
– Sever Bleeding –
Secondary Bleeding
– Injured vital organ -
Crush syndrome
– Shock(nervous or HGE) –
Sepsis & septic shock
– Air embolism –
Fatty embolism
-
Complications of surgery
-
Permanent infirmity
(cut
wound of tendon:wrist drop)
-

-cause of death
Early : Late:
-Sever Bleeding –
Secondary Bleeding
– Injured vital organ - Crush
syndrome
– Shock
(nervous or HGE) – Sepsis &
septic shock
– Air embolism – Fatty
embolism
1Smothering

def

Mechanical anoxia due to occlusion of the external respiratory openings (mouth and nose) by the hand or soft fabric.

Mechanism (Mode) of death:

Asphyxia occurs due to blockage of external air passages

2.Throttling (Manual Strangulation

def

A type of mechanical asphyxia due to external force to the neck by the hand .

Mechanism (Mode) of death:

Obstruction of airways leading to hypoxia.

Cerebral ischaemia due to bilateral compression of the carotid arteries .

Reflex cardiac arrest due to pressure on baroreceptors in the carotid sinuses, carotid sheaths and the carotid body.

Occlusion of neck veins (classical signs of asphyxia

) 3Ligature Strangulation

Def

A type of mechanical asphyxia caused by external pressure on the neck by a ligature which is tied forcibly.

Mechanism of death as throttling

4 hanging

Def

It is a type of mechanical asphyxia due to suspension of the body by a ligature & the force applied to the neck is derived
from the gravitational drag of the weight of the body or part of the body

Mechanism as throttling plus cercical fracture and spinal injury

5. Traumatic asphyxia

Def:; Mechanical fixation of the chest, thus

preventing respiratory movements preventing inspiration