Thanatology

Thanatology

The scientific study of death in all its aspects, including its cause and phenomena.

Thanatology

It also includes bodily changes that accompany death (postmortem changes) and their medico-legal significance.

Somatic Death

Irreversible cessation of the vital functions of the brain, heart, and lungs.

Molecular death

Initial changes occur due to metabolic dysfunction and later from structural disintegration.

Brain death

It is the complete and irreversible cessation of functioning of the brain.

Brain

It includes all the central nervous system (CNS) structures, except the spinal cord.

Edema

It is accompanied by an increase in intracranial pressure leading to gradual decrease in cerebral circulation to the level of almost cessation, causing aseptic necrosis of the brain.

respirator brain

Within 3–5 days, there occurs widespread brain destruction or pannecrosis throughout the cerebrum and the brainstem, the brain becomes a liquefied mass, a condition known as ‘\______’.

Autograft

Tissue transplanted from one part of the body to another in the same individual. It is also called autotransplant or homologous transplantation.

Allograft

Organ or tissue transplanted from one individual to another of the same species with a different genotype. It is also called allogeneic graft or homograft.

Isograft

Organs or tissues are transplanted from a donor to a genetically identical recipient (such as an identical twin).

Xenograft

Organs or tissue transplanted from one species to another, e.g. grafting of animal tissue into humans.

Split transplants

Deceased-donor organ (specifically the liver) may be divided between two recipients, especially an adult and a child.

Cause of death

Any injury or disease producing physiological derangement, briefly or over a prolonged period, and which results in the death of the individual

Mechanism of death

The physiological derangement produced by the cause of death that results in death

Manner of death

Explains how the cause of death came about.

Natural Death

Death resulting from disease

Homicide

Death resulting from the deliberate action of another

Suicide

Death intentionally self-inflicted

Accident

Death as a result of an environmental influence

Dyadic death

Also known as murder-suicide or homicide-suicide; refers to an incident where a homicide is committed followed by the perpetrator’s suicide almost immediately or soon after the homicide.

Agonal period

It is the time between a lethal occurrence and death.

Mode of death

Refers to an abnormal physiological state that pertained at the time of death

Coma

It is a state of profound unconsciousness from which a person cannot be roused, with minimal or no detectable responsiveness to stimuli.

Syncope

This is death from failure of the function of the heart resulting in hypoxia and hypoperfusion of the brain.

Asphyxia

This is death from failure of the function of the lungs.

Anoxia

Complete lack of oxygen, which ultimately leads to cardiac failure and death.

Hypoxia

Shortage of oxygen in blood.

Anoxic anoxia

It occurs due to defective oxygenation of blood in the lungs

Anemic anoxia

It occurs due to reduced oxygen carrying capacity of the blood.

Histotoxic anoxia

It means inhibition of oxidative processes in the tissue which cannot make use of oxygen in the blood.

Stagnant/ischemic anoxia

In this type, impaired circulation results in reduced oxygen delivery to the tissues.

Sudden Death

Death occurring instantaneously or within 1 h of the onset of morbid symptoms.

Coronary Atherosclerosis

The most common cause of death from cardiovascular disease.

sudden death

Significant obstruction of the coronary artery lumen without MI or thrombosis may lead to \___.

Hypoxic myocardium

\______ is electrically unstable, and liable to arrhythmia and ventricular fibrillation, especially at moments of sudden stress

angina

Coronary artery spasm may kill \_____ patients without severe atherosclerosis or congenital abnormalities.

Enzyme histochemistry

It is the most reliable method of detecting early MI.

Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) stain

In early infarcts (at least 28 h), damaged myofibers stain a pale purple-blue with PAS, compared with the pink color of healthy fibers.

Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) autofluorescence

Routine formalinfixed H&E sections are examined under UV light.

Acridine-Orange fluorescent stain

Slides are examined under UV light; normal myocardium is golden-brown/yellowish-brown with damaged fibers showing a shift to green.

vagal inhibition

Sudden death occurring within seconds or minutes as a result of minor trauma or harmless peripheral stimulation may be caused by \____.

Brugada syndrome

A disorder characterized by sudden nocturnal death of an apparently healthy young person with no history of any disease/drug abuse, and the findings at autopsy are those of asphyxia.