Estimation of Time since Death From Oral Autopsied Tissues

Abstract

Introduction: Post-mortem assessment usually involves examination of visceral organs by forensic medicine expert, dental opinion is occasionally sought in this regard except in situations where only head is available for autopsy. Dental and para-dental structures being unique for every individual, it is of greater significance in forensic identification. However forensic pathology seldom includes oral soft tissues in post-mortem examination. This study attempts to assess the post-mortem interval (PMI) from autopsied oral tissues. Aim and Objective: This study aimed to estimate time since death from oral autopsied tissues and also assessed the histopathological changes in post-mortem oral soft tissues under light microscope. The histopathological tissue changes were correlated with post-mortem interval. The efficacy of various oral soft tissues in concluding the time since death was analysed. Materials and methods: The autopsied oral tissues (labial mucosa, gingiva, tongue, submandibular salivary gland) were obtained from the mortuary at Chengalpattu Medical College after acquiring the ethical clearance and consent from the concerned person. The tissue samples were immediately fixed in 10% formalin followed by processing and staining with hematoxylin and eosin. The stained sections of various autopsied oral tissues were examined under light microscope for post-mortem changes which were categorized as per the post-mortem interval. Statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics was used to present the proportion of samples with and without postmortem degenerative changes. Chi-square test was done to analyse the histopathological changes at different PMI. The statistical analysis was done using IBM, SPSS version 23.0. Results: The present study focuses on the microscopic alteration in epithelium and connective tissue of the autopsied oral tissues. The histopathological alterations of the autopsied tissues were broadly categorized as architectural and cellular changes, which can be further elaborated as cytoplasmic and