American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Practice Exam

What phase of decomposition occurs following the initial purging of bodily fluids?

1. Rigor mortis

2. Late decomposition

3. Bloating

4. Adipocere formation

The correct answer is: Late decomposition

The phase of decomposition that occurs following the initial purging of bodily fluids is late decomposition. This phase is marked by a significant breakdown of tissues and organs, accompanied by the activity of bacteria and other decomposers. During late decomposition, the body experiences extensive tissue liquefaction, which leads to the collapse of structural components. The presence of fluids in the body is greatly diminished because the body has already undergone the initial purging, where gases and fluids escape due to the accumulation of gases generated by microbial activity. Bloating, which is often confused with late decomposition, primarily involves the initial stages where the body begins to swell due to gas buildup but precedes the changes seen in late decomposition. Adipocere formation is a process that can occur later in the decomposition timeline, particularly in specific environmental conditions, but it does not immediately follow the purging phase. Rigor mortis indicates stiffness after death and happens before these later stages of decomposition. Thus, late decomposition is the correct identification following initial purging, as it represents a critical transition into more advanced stages of decay.