Permanent and irreversible stoppage of respiration, circulation and brain function so called the ‘Tripod of life’
- Generally the practicing doctor
diagnoses death by auscultation; but, this can be difficult in cases of
excessive fat, emphysema, apex beat below the rib, poorly beating heart and
shallow diaphragmatic respiration. All these conditions dampen the
conduction of heart sound with body wall.
- Diagnosis of recent death is also
very difficult whenever the death of the person has not been observed.
When a doctor is called to certify a patient ‘as dead’ that is brought by
ambulance, he must insist that the body be removed to a well lit room
where he can carry out his examination.
- Even though the condition is
satisfactory, there can be error during examination. The signs of life can
be detected by special methods like oscilloscope, ECG, and EEG etc.
- It can never be assumed that
attempted resuscitation is pointless. On the other hand, resuscitative
measures should always be continued for half an hour.
- In cases of electric shock,
asphyxia particularly drowning and drug overdose, resuscitative measures
should always be done
- There is segmentation of blood in
retinal blood vessels in ophthalmoscopic examination. If still there is
little doubt, the patient should be taken to intensive care unit for
further investigation of heart and brain function.
(Ref: Dr. PC Dikshit Head (MAMC) MD
LLB, Textbook of Forensic Medicine, Peepee Publisher)
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