This document discusses putrefaction and adipocere formation after death. It explains that putrefaction begins breakdown of the body through autolysis and bacterial action within 12-72 hours of death. Changes include discoloration and gas formation, leading to effects like balloning. In optimal damp and warm conditions, adipocere formation can occur within 3 weeks, arresting putrefaction and preserving facial features and wounds in a wax-like material. The document aims to explain the mechanisms and findings of putrefaction and adipocere, and their importance for estimating time since death.

1. ADIPOCERE
Nur Farra Najwa Binti Abdul Azim
082015100035

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of seminar, student should be able to
1. Understand putrefaction and adipocere.
2. Explain mechanism of putrefaction and
adipocere
3. What finding to be seen in putrefaction and
changes
4. Importance of adipocere

3. PUTREFACTION
• Onset of breakdown of complex organic
constituent of the body to simple inorganic
substances.
• Via autolysis or bacterial action
• Various fauna expedites the disintegration of
body tissue

4. MECHANISM
AUTOLYSIS BACTERIAL ACTION
Action via digestive enzyme Rapid bacterial growth
Release by cell after death Stagnant blood as growth medium
Tissue softening and liquefaction
Architectural pattern of tissue lost
Aseptic chemical process Bacteria from outside and inside body
Gross changes putrefaction

5. CHANGES DUE TO PUTREFACTION
12- 24 hour after death Greenish discoloration on right iliac fossa
24-36 hours Greenish discoloration spread to abdomen,
chest, face and limb. Entire body greenish
blck
36-48 hours Marbling seen
EVOLUTION OF GASES
As early as 18 hours
Full blown picture take about 48-72 hours
• Balloning effect
•Post mortem lividity dispersion

9. BALLONING EFFECT
• Gases collected in hollow viscera
• Volume expansion
– Protrude abdominal viscera
– Lung squeeze and froth coming out
– Soft tissue increases size
– Face puff out
– Tongue protrude
– Loss of normal human face
– Postmortem blister
– Epidermal layer slip off
– Postmortem delivery

11. POSTMORTEM LIVIDITY DISPERSION

12. COLLIQUATIVE PUTREFACTION
• After 3-5 days
– Nail, hair, teeth loose
– Viscera burst out
– Skull suture loosen
– Brain material oozing out
• 5-10 day
– Tissue and organ become soft,thick, black
pultaceous material

14. ADIPOCERE
• Putrefaction process deviates and affected by
environmental condition
– Abundant body fat
– Humid climate
– Still air
– Warm temperature
– Bacteria producing fat splitting enzyme (Cl.
Welchii)

16. Cont.
• Adipocere also known as saponification or
grave wax
• Due to hydrolysis and hydrogenation of fat
• Appear like rancid butter
• Sweetish but disagreeable smell
• 3 week to develop

18. WHY ?
• Body on damp soil
• Shady place
• Optimum environment
• No free air current

19. IMPORTANCE
• Facial feature are recognizable, as putrefaction
progress arrested
• Wound are preserved without much alteration
• Approximate time since death can be
estimated

20. SUMMARY
1. Understand putrefaction and adipocere.
2. Explain mechanism of putrefaction and
adipocere
3. What finding to be seen in putrefaction and
changes
4. Importance of adipocere

21. REFERENCES
• Textbook Of Forensics Medicine And
Toxicology, 16th Edition, VV Pillay

22. Thank you