1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South America

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1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Foto rio

Márcia Vaz, MD
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Medicolegal identification of skeletal remains
through antemortem bone changes  

• The experience of the Medical Examiners Office
  in Porto Alegre, Brazil

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• State population 10,187,798 (2000
  Census - IBGE)

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America
Skeletal Remains
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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America
Positive Identification
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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 1
• August 2000
• Found in Viamão
• Skeletal human remains, no clothes
• Presumed to be R.M.S.C

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 1- Findings
• White, 40 to 50-year-old female, 158 - 164 cm
  tall.
• Right tibia and fibula with fracture callus in
  lower thirds, joined by bone bridge.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 1 Presumed decedent
• R.M.S.C
• X-rays and hospitalization records (1998 and
  1999)
• Case 1 Conclusion
• No negative matches and number of positive
  matches confirmed identification.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 2
• February 2000
• Found in Nonoai
• Decomposed and clothed human remains
• Presumed to be J.P.C.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 2 Findings
• White, 26 to 35-year-old male, 172 - 176 cm
  tall
• Left radius fracture callus in upper third of
  diaphysis
• Left ulna callus at junction of upper and
  middle thirds of interosseous margin
• Left femur fracture callus and steel wire in
  middle third of diaphysis, metal rod in proximal
  half.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 2 Presumed decedent
• J.P.C.
• Radiographic studies (07/23/96 and 08/14/96)
• Left forearm fracture in transition from
  proximal to middle thirds.
• Left thigh complete fracture in middle third of
  femur. Firearm projectiles.
• Metal rod to control femur fracture fixation

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 2 Conclusion
• No negative matches and number of positive
  matches confirmed J.P.C. identification.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 3
• August 2004
• Found in Venâncio Aires
• Human remains with adipocere formation.
• Presumed to be Z.M.S.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 3 Findings
• White, gt 40-year-old female, 160 164 cm tall.
• External female genitals
• Right femur fracture callus in distal end of
  diaphysis and distal epiphysis

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 3 Presumed decedent
• Z.M.S.
• X-rays of right thigh and knee (09/04/00 and
  09/17/00) metal plate and screws in fracture of
  distal third of right femur.
• Medical records three hospitalizations removal
  of plate and screws, and treatment of right femur
  post-traumatic arthritis.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Case 3 Conclusion
• Comparison of medical records and radiographic
  studies with results of medicolegal examination
  revealed only positive matches. The absence of
  negative matches confirmed Z.M.S identification.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
1st Paleopathology Association Meeting in South
America

• Conclusions
• Anatomical changes due to fractures provide an
  efficient method of identification of skeletal
  and decomposed human remains when comparison
  elements are available.
• In our community, it is difficult to obtain
  medical, hospital and dental records.
• Identification by DNA profiling is the most
  frequently used identification method in our
  Service.

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Medical Examiners Office - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Forensic Anthropology Service