Von Daalen et al reported the Aquatic Decomposition Score (ADS) for describing decomposition of human bodies in salt water. This consists of three subscores - facial, body and limbs. The authors are from Isala Hospital, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Netherlands Forensic Institute and University of Maastricht.
Patient selection: body recovered from the North Sea
Parameters:
(1) changes of skin and body surface
(2) skeletonization
Skin Changes
Skeletonization
Limb ADS
none
none
1
wrinkling and/or white discoloration of skin on hands and feet
none
2
marbling, skin slippage, hair sloughs off, degloving and/or loss of nails
none
3
gray, matte discoloration with crumbly surface
partial or gross of hands and feet; partial or gross of more proximal parts of limbs
4
NA
partial
5
NA
complete
6
total ADS =
= SUM(FADS) + (BADS) + (LADS)
Interpretation:
• minimum TADS: 3
• maximum TADS: 18
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