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Re-establishment of rigor mortis: evidence for a considerably longer post-mortem time span
Chiara Crostack1, Susanne Sehner2, Tobias Raupach3
1Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Butenfeld 34, 22529, Hamburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Re-establishment of rigor mortis following mechanical loosening is used as part of the complex method for the forensic estimation of the time since death in human bodies and has formerly been reported to occur up to 8-12 h post-mortem (hpm). We recently described our observation of the phenomenon in up to 19 hpm in cases with in-hospital death. Due to the case selection (preceding illness, immobilisation), transfer of these results to forensic cases might be limited. We therefore examined 67 out-of-hospital cases of sudden death with known time points of death. Re-establishment of rigor mortis was positive in 52.2% of cases and was observed up to 20 hpm. In contrast to the current doctrine that a recurrence of rigor mortis is always of a lesser degree than its first manifestation in a given patient, muscular rigidity at re-establishment equalled or even exceeded the degree observed before dissolving in 21 joints. Furthermore, this is the first study to describe that the phenomenon appears to be independent of body or ambient temperature.
Insights
Rigor mortis re-establishment can occur up to 20 hours post-mortem in sudden death cases. This phenomenon, observed in out-of-hospital deaths, may be independent of temperature and can equal or exceed initial rigidity.
Area of Science:
- Forensic pathology
- Post-mortem interval estimation
Background:
- Re-establishment of rigor mortis is a forensic tool for estimating time since death.
- Previous studies reported this phenomenon up to 8-12 hours post-mortem (hpm), with recent observations extending to 19 hpm in hospitalized patients.
- In-hospital cases may not fully represent general forensic populations due to factors like illness and immobilization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of rigor mortis re-establishment in out-of-hospital sudden death cases.
- To determine the reliability of this phenomenon as a post-mortem interval indicator in a broader forensic context.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 67 out-of-hospital sudden death cases with known time of death.
- Systematic examination for the presence and degree of rigor mortis re-establishment.
- Correlation of findings with body and ambient temperatures.
Main Results:
- Rigor mortis re-establishment was observed in 52.2% of cases, extending up to 20 hpm.
- In 21 joints, the rigidity upon re-establishment equaled or surpassed the initial rigor.
- The phenomenon appeared independent of body or ambient temperature.
Conclusions:
- Rigor mortis re-establishment is a relevant phenomenon in out-of-hospital sudden deaths, occurring later than previously established.
- The degree of rigidity during re-establishment can be significant, challenging prior assumptions.
- Temperature does not appear to influence the occurrence of rigor mortis re-establishment.
