La rigidez cadavérica, el espasmo cadavérico y tipos de fibras musculares / The cadaveric rigidity, the cadaveric spasm and types of muscle fibers

La rigidez cadavérica (rigor mortis) es un proceso no muy bien comprendido por la mayoría de los médicos. El conocimiento de la intimidad del proceso de la rigidez cadavérica es de vital importancia ya que es una de las variables que junto con las livideces (livor mortis) y la temperatura (algor mortis) del cadáver ayudan a determinar el cronotanatodiagnóstico, tanatocronodiagnóstico o intervalo postmortal del período inmediato de la muerte. Para entender el mecanismo de la rigidez y el espasmo cadavérico es preciso hacer un repaso de la contracción muscular fisiológica en el vivo. Hay que tener presente que el tipo de fibra muscular predominante modificará las características de la contracción muscular fisiológica en el vivo, y también la rigidez y el espasmo cadavérico. (AU)

The cadaveric rigidity (rigor mortis) is a process which is not very well understood by the majority of the doctors. The knowledge of the intimacy of the cadaveric stiffness process is of vital importance since it is one of the variables that, as well as the postmortem lividity (livor mortis) and the body temperature post mortem (algor mortis) help determine the chronotanatodiagnostic, tanatochronodiagnostic or postmortal interval of the immediate period of death. In order to understand the mechanism of stiffness and cadaveric spasm, it is necessary to review the physiological muscle contraction in vivo. We should keep in mind that the predominant type of muscle fiber will modify the characteristics of physiological muscle contraction in vivo, as well as stiffness and cadaveric spasm. (AU)

A suicidal hanging with unusual findings at crime scene.

A 42 year old male, was found hanging by a plastic rope in his unbolted bed room. The rope was found attached to two suspension points (one end attached to the window panel and the other side to the ceiling knob) and the middle part of it used for the binding of neck. There was no knot present in the ligature as the right hand was found holding the ligature loop for the purpose of constriction of neck .A towel was found covering the head and underneath the ligature material on the neck used for padding. Blood stain was present on the floor below the suspended body which oozed out from the haemorrhoids. He was holding the cloth, wore in lower half of the body up to the mid thigh label, which appreciated by the authors as cadaveric spasm that developed in his flexor muscles of left hand. Detailed autopsy, crime scene examination and police investigation supported the manner of death as suicidal.

Report on two cases of cadaveric spasm.

The authors made a report of two incidents of suicide firing pistol. The first individual definitely fired directly into the right temple (Fig. 2 a) with the right hand but the pistol was removed before a photograph was taken. Following postmortem examination by the Department of Medical Jurisprudence, the authors made an examination of the brain which was preserved in 10% formalin solution. The right cerebral hemisphere was nearly totally destroyed together with the brain stem until separation of the cerebellum. This is the main point where nervous connection from the suppressor area is made with cells in the spinal cord supplying muscles used for griping; unable to loose their contraction. The continued grabping of the hand causes the condition called cadaveric spasm. The second case was from news and pictures published by a husband was not newspaper. A couple used separate pistols to kill themselves. The picture showed he dead woman, but the husband was not photographed as he did not die immediately. He was sent to a hospital where he died afterward. The right hand of the dead woman lay on her right hip, griping the pistol in a condition of cadaveric spasm. Still the investigation was as in the first case were sure that the woman killed herself, because if she was killed by her husband the pistol would not be in her hand. The brains of both were examined. The cerebral hemispheres of the woman were mostly destroyed by the bullet. The cerebellum was separated because of the total destruction of the total destruction of the brain stem making nervous connection between the cerebral cortex to cells in the spinal cord impossible as in the first case, causing cadaveric spasm. The two cases demonstrate a cause of cadaveric spasm. This condition can be produced in living persons by hypnotism.