THE USE OF ABSOLUTE REFRACTORY PERIOD IN THE ESTIMATION OF EARLY POSTMORTEM INTERVAL

The estimation of the time since death (postmortem interval) is one of the most difficult problems in forensic pathology. Most methods curre ntly employed use temperature-based algorithms intended to model the c ooling of the body after death and thus estimate the postmortem interv al. These methods are subject to considerable inaccuracy but their rel iability can be improved if a range of other observed criteria such as lividity and rigor are also taken into consideration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of using the absolute refractory period as an adjunct to the estimation of postmortem inter val. The relationship between the 'postmortem interval' and the 'durat ion of absolute refractory period' was investigated using the rat scia tic nerve. A strong correlation between the duration of the absolute r efractory period and the postmortem interval was observed. When both a bsolute refractory period and temperature were used in conjunction, th e strength of this correlation was increased. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd.