A case of florid postmortem extravasation of blood, potentially simulating antemortem bruising, is presented. A 98-year-old woman died in hospital, the cause of death being certified as congestive cardiac failure. After burial, it was apparent that the grave had been disturbed by crowbars and shovels. Exhumation was performed and autopsy revealed considerable apparent facial bruising as well as lacerations and fractures. There was no documentation by the medical or nursing staff of any injuries to the deceased preceding death. There was also no documentation of injury by the funeral directors. Subsequently, two men admitted to removing the body from the grave and mutilating it. Thus, what was apparently facial bruising was, in fact, postmortem extravasation of blood simulating antemortem bruising. The degree of extravasation was considered to be related to the severity of the injuries, loose subcutaneous tissues of the head and neck, and dependent position of the body upon return to the grave. This case demonstrates the degree of postmortem extravasation of blood that may occur in particular circumstances and may simulate antemortem bruising. In other circumstances, the postmortem extravasation of blood may well have led investigators to pursue inquiries regarding homicide.

An increased heart weight (cardiac hypertrophy) is associated with underlying heart disease and sudden cardiac death. Gross heart dimensions can be used to estimate heart weight as a surrogate for cardiac hypertrophy. These dimensions can be obtained from either postmortem computed tomography or postmortem examination. This study compared the gross heart dimensions, heart weight estimations, and ability to determine cardiac hypertrophy (>400 and >500 g) between these 2 methods. The results showed that gross dimensions from postmortem computed tomography were significantly smaller and overall had less accuracy in estimating heart weight than dissection. In terms of cardiac hypertrophy, both methods were comparable and had reasonably high sensitivity and specificity, albeit having slightly varied characteristics, to determine whether the heart showed hypertrophy.

Cardiac ventricular dimensions measured at postmortem examination are used to assess whether there is hypertrophy of the heart chambers. However, there is no clear consensus on where these measurements should be taken. Some have proposed this should be measured at the mid-ventricular level, but others advocate it should be measured at a set distance (e.g. 20 mm) from the base of the heart. Twenty consecutive adult hearts were examined and showed the ventricular dimensions were significantly higher (mean: 5–15 mm, p < 0.01) when measured at a level 20 mm from the base of the heart compared to the mid-ventricular level. Of clinical significance is that in slightly less than half the cases, normal ventricular dimensions at mid ventricle level fell within the criteria considered pathological (> 40 mm) when measured at 20 mm from the base of the heart. In terms of actual ventricular dimensions, only the left ventricle diameter measured at 20 mm from the base of the heart correlated significantly (albeit moderately) with heart weight, suggesting it can be a predictor for cardiac hypertrophy.

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