title: [Criteria for the classification as a "domestic-setting corpse"--a literature search and review to define the term].
abstract: In German medical and media circles (daily routine, specialist literature, press, novels), the term "domestic-setting corpse" is frequently used, but the term is only vaguely defined. The authors thus decided to perform an in-depth study of the literature, including historic textbooks and all German- and English-language medicolegal journals, going as far back as their first issues, in an attempt to more clearly define the term. Inclusion criteria used in the search were a post-mortem interval of at least 24 hours prior to discovery and discovery of the corpse in a domestic setting. In the literature, 37 cases that complied with the above-mentioned inclusion criteria were found. These cases frequently described "advanced decomposition", often "unclear cause of death" and "problems in identification". These characteristics can thus be considered as being additional pointers in the definition. However, we suggest that the two general defining characteristics of a "domestic-setting corpse" are a post-mortem interval of more than 24 hours before discovery and the discovery of the corpse in a domestic setting.
authors.affiliation: Aus dem Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität Giessen.
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merz
authors.forename: Christoph G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Birngruber
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heidorn
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramsthaler
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Risse
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kreutz
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krähahn
authors.forename: Marcel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Verhoff
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D056667:Biometric Identification / Q000379:methods*; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012886:Skull / Q000473:pathology*