Use of modern forensic methods for post-mortem diagnosis of blood loss

Abstract

In forensic medical practice, when diagnosing the cause of death from blood loss, it is often necessary to solve questions related to the etiology of loss of circulating blood volume (CBV), the degree and severity of the injury, as well as its role in thanatogenesis and the duration of the terminal (agonal) period. When investigating the cases of death from acute blood loss, the authorities often ask forensic experts to solve issues related to the possibility of performing active targeted actions by the dying person, as well as to assess the timeliness of medical care and the actions of medical personnel. The solution of these issues is often difficult for experts, and it is associated with both objective and subjective reasons. For example, in cases where the circumstances of death are unknown, or there are no medical documents, or they do not contain sufficient information, without which it is impossible to conduct a retrospective clinical and anatomical analysis for the purpose of differential diagnosis between hemolytic shock and post-hemorrhagic anemia. The article deals with the use of new methodological approaches in postmortem morphological diagnostics of blood loss by the rate of its development and its role in thanatogenesis, in forensic medical practice. For example, a particular forensic expertise (case study) shows that the application of two new methods allowed to solve the issues for the investigator related to the cause of death and duration of dying from blood loss. Experts knowledge of new methodological approaches to the forensic diagnosis of acute blood loss will help law enforcement authorities to counteract crimes against the life of citizens, as well as to development the measures to improve the methods for prevention and reduction of mortality from traumatic injuries with blood loss.

Keywords

• blood loss
• bleeding
• hypovolemic shock
• thanatogenesis
• duration of dying
• rate of death