What describes antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma?

What describes antemortem, perimortem, and postmortem trauma?

• A. Antemortem is after death; perimortem is before death; postmortem is at death
• B. Antemortem is during death; perimortem is after; postmortem is before
• C. Antemortem is around death; perimortem is after; postmortem is before
• D. Antemortem is prior to death, perimortem is at or around the time of death, and postmortem is after death

Answer: (D)

Timing of trauma is read from how the bone responds and what the fracture surfaces look like. If a fracture shows healing signs such as a callus or remodeling, that injury occurred before death—antemortem. If the fracture is fresh with sharp edges and a color match to the surrounding bone, without healing, it happened around the time of death—perimortem. If there is no healing and the fracture surfaces appear weathered or drying-related, that trauma happened after death—postmortem. So the description that fits is that antemortem is before death, perimortem is at or around the time of death, and postmortem is after death.

Timing of trauma is read from how the bone responds and what the fracture surfaces look like. If a fracture shows healing signs such as a callus or remodeling, that injury occurred before death—antemortem. If the fracture is fresh with sharp edges and a color match to the surrounding bone, without healing, it happened around the time of death—perimortem. If there is no healing and the fracture surfaces appear weathered or drying-related, that trauma happened after death—postmortem. So the description that fits is that antemortem is before death, perimortem is at or around the time of death, and postmortem is after death.