MEDICOLEGAL SIGNIFICANCE OF POSTMORTEM LIVIDITY IN DETERMINATION OF TIME SINCE DEATH
Keywords:
Postmortem lividity, Time since death, AutopsyAbstract
In present study it was found that postmortem lividity usually appears 1 to 2 hours after death in punctate and small patchy form, 2 to 4 hours after death in big patchy form and 4 to 6 hours in homogenous form. Fixation of postmortem lividity occured during the period of 7 to 9 hours after death. Lividity is well appreciated in persons with fair complexion and in adequate light (Preferably in day light). Site of lividity helps to determine cause of death in hanging to a certain extent in cases of hanging and drowning by tanking other factors into consideration. Anemia significantly affects the process of appearance, extent and grade of lividity but does not affect fixation of postmortem lividity. In non ambulatory cases lividity appeared early & was well marked after death. It was moderate to well developed and fixed earlier by 2 to 3 hours than in ambulatory cases.
References
Total 165 cases were studied, out of which 125 (75.8%) cases were male and 40 (24.2%) cases were female.
The age ranged from 1 to 90 years, in present study maximum deaths were found in the range of 21 to 30 years & 31 to 40 years (23% in each age group) and remaining of deaths were from the age group 81 to 90 (0.6%) years.
Exact time since death was known in 94 (57%) cases while in 71 (47%) cases approximate time since death was known.
Lividity appeared in the form of punctate patches i.e. of about 0.5 to 1 cm size then gradually developed into small patches of 2 to 3 cm, which later joined to form big patches of size 7 to 8 cm which subsequently coalesced gradually to form homogenous form of lividity.
Postmortem lividity appeared in 1 to 2 hours after death in punctate and small patchy form (132 cases i.e. 90%), in 2 to 4 hours after death developed into big patchy form in 100 (89%) cases and into homogenous form (83 cases i.e. 76%) in 4 to 6 hours.
Fixation of postmortem lividity was occurred in 49 cases (51%) in duration of 7 to 9 hours after death.
Out of total 165 cases maximum cases i.e. 91 (55%) cases showed moderate grade, 38 (23%) cases showed mild grade, and 34 (20%) cases showed well developed grade of postmortem lividity. In 2 (2%) cases postmortem lividity was absent.
In all 165 cases lividity was purple colour.
In maximum number of cases i.e. 163 (98.8%) lividity was at posterior surface and dependant areas.
In 1 (0.6%) case found in prone position, lividity was seen over ventral surface of body.
In 1 (0.6%) case of hanging, typical glove and stock type of lividity was found.
Anemia significantly affects process of postmortem lividity.
In non ambulatory cases postmortem lividity appears & fixes earlier and well developed than ambulatory cases.
In deaths due to acute massive hemorrhage lividity was either absent or sparsely developed. It was found to be of mild to moderate grade and fixed in usual time in these cases.
In deaths from circulatory failure in 2 (1.2%) cases lividity was well marked after death and fixed earlier.
Lividity was well appreciated in persons of fair complexion.
Lividity was well appreciated in day light and adequate light was prerequisite for appreciation of postmortem lividity.
Tight clothing leave pressure pallor over body and folds of clothing give rise to vibices.
Lividity was of homogenous form and moderate to well developed grade in moderate to well built cases. It was sparsely developed and was of mild grade in thin and emaciated cases (due to chronic diseases).
Mean Time since Death with Significant Error of Mean was found to be 7.30 ± 0.22 hours in documented time since death, 6.37±0.15 hours in Time since Death est
