The document discusses autopsy, embalming, and care of dead bodies. It describes the process of an autopsy, which determines the cause of death, and can classify it as natural, accidental, homicide, suicide, or unknown. It then discusses the members who perform autopsies, and the protocol including external and internal examination. Next, it covers the natural changes that occur in dead bodies like rigor mortis, algor mortis, and livor mortis. Finally, it summarizes the embalming process which aims to preserve and sanitize bodies, and involves arterial, cavity, hypodermic, and surface embalming using formaldehyde and other chemicals.

1. AUTOPSY, EMBALMING, CARE
OF DEAD BODY
PREPARED BY
MR. ARUN. S. ANGADI
M.Sc. MSN (CCN). CHARUSAT. CHANGA

2. Autopsy
A post mortem
examination
preformed to
determine the cause
of death.
Cause of death
deemed suspicious,
or involves criminal
action.

3. Classification
• In a forensic autopsy,
a medical examiner or
coroner declares the death
to be:
– Natural
– Accident
– Homicide
– Suicide
or
– Unknown

4. Natural Death
• Caused by a
known disease:
cancer, heart
disease, stroke,
genetic disorders,
etc.
• Often just simply
“old age”

5. Accidental Death
• Caused by
mistake or freak
occurrence.
• Death not
planned, but can
be explained by
circumstances.

6. Homicidal Death
• Killing another person.
• Close to you?
– Infanticide, Fratricide,
Sororicide, Parricide,
Patricide, Matricide,
Mariticide, Uxoricide
• Lots of people…
– Genocide – Killing a
national, ethnic, racial
or religious group
Homicide is the most
investigated death,
therefore the most
autopsied.

7. Suicidal Death
• Killing of self.
• Often the easiest
to identify wrt
cause.
• Can be elaborated
further in the
report…
– Toxic, firearm,
blunt force
trauma,
asphyxiation, etc.

8. Unknown Death
• Deaths in absentia
– At sea
– Badly decayed bodies

9. Members to perform Autopsies
• Forensic Pathologist, a Medical Examiner
– 4 years Undergraduate
– 4 years Medical School
– 4 years Pathology “Residency”

10. Protocol for Performing
A Forensic Autopsy?
• Corpse brought to M.E.
• In a new body bag/clean sheets
– Avoids cross-transfer of evidence
• Placed on dissection table

11. Physical Examination
• 2 Parts:
– External
• Physical outer layer –
for injuries / cause of
death
– Internal
• Internal organs & tissue
- evidence of disease,
trauma, toxic
substances, organ
failure

12. External
Examination
Steps:
1. Photographed
2. Samples taken: hair, nails
3. Undressed, examined for wounds
-- Lacerations, abrasions, bruises
4. Measured, weighed, cleaned

13. • In addition…Major
Systems looked at
– Cardio-Vascular (Heart &
Lungs)
– Central Nervous System
(CNS)
Internal Examination

14. Vitreous Humor
• Not much?
= Dead longer…
• More Potassium?
= Dead longer…
• Broken blood vessels?
= likely strangulation

15. CARE OF THE BODY AFTER DEATH
Body changes
• Rigor Mortis – Defined as ‘Stiffness of Death’
• Algor Mortis –Defined as ‘Coolness of Death
• Livor Mortis -Meaning…‘Color of Death

16. CARE OF THE BODY AFTER DEATH
Body changes
Rigor Mortis – Defined as ‘Stiffness of Death’.
• The stiffening of the body that occurs about 2-4 hrs
after death.
• It result from the lack of Adenosine Triphosphate
(ATP), which is not synthesized because of the lack
of glycogen in the body.
• Its lack causes the muscles to contract, which in
turn immobilizes the joints.

17. • Rigor mortis starts in the involuntary muscles
(heart, bladder, and so on) then progresses to
the head, neck and trunk, and finally reaches
the extremities.
• Because the deceased families often wants to
view the body, and because it is important that
the deceased appear natural and comfortable,
nurses need to position the body, place
dentures in mouth, and close the eyes and
mouth before rigor mortis sets in.
• Rigor mortis usually leaves the body about
96 hrs. after death.

18. Algor Mortis –Defined as ‘Coolness
of Death
• It is the gradual decrease of body temperature
after death.
• When blood circulation terminates and
hypothalamus ceases to function, body
temperature falls about 1degree centigrade (1.8
F) per hour until it reaches room temperature.
• Simultaneously, the skin loses its elasticity and
can easily be broken when removing dressing or
adhesive tape.

19. Livor Mortis Meaning…‘Color of
Death
• Meaning…‘Color of Death’.
• Coloration of the skin.
✓ Death = the heart stops =
blood stops cycling.
✓ Red blood cells, plasma gather
on the bottom part of the body,
closest to the floor.
✓ A line forms after 8 hours if the
body hasn’t been moved. If
moved, a new line forms.
✓ The thicker the line, the longer
the body held that position.

20. NURSING INTERVENTION
• Nursing personnel may be responsible for the care of
a body after death.
• Make the environment clean and pleasant as possible
and to make the body appear natural and comfortable.
• Remove all the equipments and supplies from the
bedside.
• Remove the soiled linen in order to make the room
free from odour.
• Care of the body may be influenced by religious law,
the nurse should check the client’s religion and make
very attempt to comply.

21. • The body should be placed in a supine position with
the arm either at the sides, palms down, or across
the abdomen.
• The wrist band should be left on unless it is too
tight.
• A pillow should be placed under the head and the
shoulders to prevent blood from discolouring the
face by settling in it.
• The eyelids are closed and held in place for a few
seconds so that they remain closed.
• Dentures are usually inserted to help give the face a
natural appearance.
• The mouth should be closed (a role towel under the
chin will hold it closed).

22. • Soiled areas of the body are washed or a
complete bath should be given
• Absorbent pads are placed under the buttocks
to take up any faeces and urine released
because of the relaxation of the sphincter
muscles.
• A clean gown should be placed on the client,
and the hair is brushed and combed.
• All the jewelleries are removed except the
band in some instances, which is taped to the
finger.

23. Thank you

24. EMBALMING

25. • Embalming is the art and science of
preserving human remains by treating them
(in its modern form with chemicals) to
forestall decomposition .
• The intention is to keep them suitable for
public display at a funeral, for religious
reasons, or for medical and scientific
purposes such as their use as anatomical
specimens.

26. The three goals of embalming are
➢Sanitization
➢Presentation and
➢preservation (or restoration).

27. • Any clothing on the corpse is removed and
set aside and any personal effect such as
jewelry is inventoried. A modesty cloth is
sometimes placed over the genitalia.
• The corpse is washed in disinfectant and
germicidal solutions. During this process the
embalmer bends, flexes and massages the
arms and legs to relieve rigor mortis.

28. The process of closing the mouth, eyes,
shaving, etc. is collectively known as setting
the features.
The actual embalming process usually involves
four parts:
1. Arterial embalming
2. Cavity embalming
3. Hypodermic
4. Surface embalming

29. 1. Arterial embalming
• Arterial embalming, which
involves the injection of
embalming chemicals into
the blood vessels, usually
via the right common carotid
artery.
• Blood and interstitial fluids
are displaced by this
injection and, along with
excess arterial solution, are
expelled from the
right jugular vein and
collectively referred to as
drainage.

30. The embalming solution is
injected with a centrifugal
pump and the embalmer
massages the body to
break up circulatory clots
as to ensure the proper
distribution of the
embalming fluid.

31. 2. Cavity embalming
• Cavity embalming refers to the
replacement of internal fluids
inside body cavities with
embalming chemicals via the
use of an aspirator and trocar.
• The embalmer makes a small
incision just above the navel
(two inches superior and two
inches to the right) and pushes
the trocar in the chest and
stomach cavities to puncture the
hollow organs and aspirate their
contents.

32. • He then fills the
cavities with
concentrated
chemicals that
contain formaldehyde.
• The incision is either
sutured closed or a
"trocar button" is
secured into place.

33. 3. Hypodermic
Hypodermic embalming is a
supplemental method which
refers to the injection of
embalming chemicals into
tissue with a hypodermic
needle and syringe, which is
generally used as needed on a
case by case basis to treat
areas where arterial fluid has
not been successfully
distributed during the main
arterial injection.

34. 4. Surface embalming
Surface embalming,
another supplemental
method, utilizes embalming
chemicals to preserve and
restore areas directly on the
skin's surface and other
superficial areas as well as
areas of damage such as
from accident, decomposition,
cancerous growth or skin
donation.

35. Chemicals used in embalming
Typical embalming fluid contains a mixture
of
✓Formaldehyde
✓Glutarldehyde
✓Ethanol