Optimization of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) extraction from human cadavers: Advancing forensic pathology and postmortem...

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Post-mortem Investigation
• Toxicology

Background:

• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is crucial in forensic pathology.
• Blood collection is often impossible in cases of extensive injury or exsanguination.
• CSF offers a stable and protected alternative for post-mortem analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection techniques in human cadavers.
• To address the lack of documented lumbar puncture procedures for post-mortem CSF extraction.
• To establish the applicability of CSF in forensic investigations.

Main Methods:

• Optimized lumbar puncture techniques were developed for human cadavers.
• Fifty autopsy cases were utilized to refine the CSF collection site.
• The sitting position was found to be more effective than the lateral recumbent position for breaking rigor mortis.

Main Results:

• Successful cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection was achieved in 48 out of 50 cases.
• The optimized lumbar puncture technique demonstrated high efficacy.
• The sitting position facilitated improved CSF collection from cadavers.

Conclusions:

• Optimized lumbar puncture provides a reliable method for CSF collection in cadavers.
• This technique enhances forensic pathology practices, especially when blood samples are unobtainable.
• CSF analysis offers a valuable tool for post-mortem investigations.