Abstract

FEREIRA PAZ, J.L.; ESPINA DE FEREIRA, A.; BARRIOS FERRER, F.  and  ESPINA ROJAS, O.. Post-exhumation buccal autopsy in victims of a massive disaster: the Sabaneta Jail Massacre, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2002, n.30, pp.23-32. ISSN 1988-611X.

In view of the petition presented by the relatives of the unidentified victims of the Sabaneta Jail Massacre, Maracaibo, Venezuela, a court ordered the exhumation of four corpses, fifteen days after they were buried. The remains were well preserved, the structure and facial outline were well conserved. It was evidenced that the method of access to the oral cavity employed in the pre-inhumation buccal autopsy facilitated the approach to the post-inhumation autopsy, without causing major destruction of the soft tissues and allowing for the correct manipulation of the oral structures as well as of the prosthetic appliances presented as evidence. In all cases, the coincidence of the data obtained during the pre-burial autopsy was verified. It was concluded that adequate planning of the inhumation process facilitates future recuperation of the bodies when this is required to complete the identification procedure.

Keywords : buccal autopsy; corpse; exhumation; Forensic Dentistry; identification.

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