Skeletonization of a Corpse

In modern criminal medicine and criminology, skeletonization of a corpse is the process of removing soft, subcutaneous tissue by extracting, cutting and peeling it from the skeletal bones, skull and jaw bones. The end product of this procedure is the subject's skeleton, completely devoid of soft tissue and internal organs. This is usually carried out out of necessity if it is impossible to establish the identity of the person under study during his lifetime. To achieve the final result of skeletonization, it is assumed that various chemical reagents are used to destroy and remove all soft tissue. The final process also requires surgery to remove the skeleton through an incision in the chest.

Skeletonization can be used for a wide range of reasons. One of the main reasons is expert judgment about the causes of death. It can also be carried out in cases of suspicious deaths or perhaps as a result of criminal acts that were not proven during life. The skeleton can serve as a tool to study the characteristics of that person, as well as to study the functioning of his body and reactions at the time of death.

The skeletonization process is usually carried out by experienced forensic doctors. The process can take several days or even weeks depending on the complexity of the task and the degree of decomposition required. The process uses a variety of methods, including mechanical sawing, chemicals and decomposition. The process may also involve the use of microorganisms to speed up the decomposition process.

Main stages of skeletonization:

1. Toolkit. 2. Body preparation. 3. Investigation/visualization. 4. Primary skeleton. 5. Cleaning. 6. Databases. 7. Conservation. 8. Identification.