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Rigor mortis
Rigor mortis is the stiffening of muscles that occurs after death due to a lack of ATP. It begins in small muscles of the face and neck around 3-4 hours after death and progresses downward, reaching the fingers and toes around 11-12 hours post-mortem. The stiffness peaks between 13-24 hours and then gradually disappears over the next 24 hours. Several factors can affect the progression of rigor mortis including temperature, age, nutrition status, and cause of death. It is important for determining time of death and investigating the position and manner of death in medicolegal cases.
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Rigor mortis
- 2. Rigor Mortis By: Imtiazur Rehman 4th Year MBBS Khyber Medical College Peshawar
- 3. Definition • Rigor Mortisis normal muscle contraction that occurs after death and is fixed due to lack of ATP
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- 10. Characteristics • Occurs inboth involuntary and voluntary muscles • Appears first in short muscles and then in larger muscles • It has nothing to do with nerve supply as it can occur in paralyzed limbs as well • Muscle become brittle and tearable • Heart will be in permanent contracted state and will contain very little blood • Skin will have granular appearance due to contraction of Erector Pilae muscles. This condition is called Cutis Ansernia or goose skin • Discharge of semen due to involvement of seminal vesicles • Iris will contract abnormally • Post mortem delivery
- 11. Progression of RigorMortis Eyelid 3-4 hrs Face 4-5 hrs Neck & Trunk 5-7 hrs Upper Limb 7-9 hrs Lower Limb 9-11 hrs Small Muscles of fingers & toes 11-12 hrs Static phase 13-24 hrs Passing off phase 25-48 hrs Proximodistal Progression (Nysten’s Law)
- 12. Testing of RigorMortis • Attempting to open eyelid • Depressing the jaw • Flexing neck and other joints
- 13. Factors effecting RigorMortis • Temperature • Age • Body structure • Nutritional status • Muscular activity • Mode of death
- 14. Medicolegal importance • Diagnosisof death • Determining postmortem interval • Determining manner of death • Position of body at the time of death
- 15. • Postmortem • Involvesboth voluntary as well as involuntary muscles • Muscles of whole body are affected • Has a specific pattern of development • Occurs in all deaths • Moderate force is required to break the rigidity • Has no relation to establishment of manner of death • Antemortem • Involves only voluntary muscles • Only a group of muscles is effected • Develops instantaneously, being associated with last action before death • Occurs in sudden death and emotional stress • Very hard to break • Helps to establish manner of death • Rigor Mortis • Cadaveric Spasm
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