Factors influencing the progression of post-mortem changes between scene and autopsy

Temperature is a pivotal factor influencing the progression of the decomposition process of a human cadaver and thus its post-mortem changes. In cases of advanced decomposition, various problems arise in routine forensic work, such as difficulties in estimating the time or cause of death. To understand and evaluate the impact of temperature and other related factors on the progression of post-mortem changes between the post-mortem examination and autopsy, 135 dead bodies with different post-mortem intervals (PMI) and varying storage times between discovery and autopsy were examined. The Total Decomposition Score (TDS) and the Total Body Score (TBS) were used to assess and compare the post-mortem changes, while continuous temperature measurements were taken inside the body bags throughout the cooling phase. It was found that the most important factors leading to an increased progression of the post-mortem changes were a high initial body temperature, few post-mortem changes (low TDS/TBS scores) present at the beginning of the cooling period, insect infestation of a body, and a prolonged duration of the storage period. The establishment of uniform standards for the cooling of bodies in Germany, as well as the recognition and appropriate treatment of cases with an increased risk of rapid progression of the post-mortem changes during the cooling period, has the potential to improve the preservation of forensic evidence.