From the AR:
"Brain: Sections of the areas of contusion disclose disrupted blood vessels of the cortex with surrounding hemorrhage. There is no evidence of inflammatory infiltrate or organization of the hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is also identified. Cortical neurons are surrounded by clear halos, as are glial cells."
If the head blow was inflicted prior to (45 minutes-2 hours, according to Kolar?) strangulation, then why was there
"no evidence of inflammatory infiltrate or organization of the hemorrhage."? :waitasec:
Like UKGuy says, the coroner only writes out what he observed, and doesnt translate this into details for a lay person to grasp. Because Ive no medical or neuro-chemistry background, my interpretations of some of the autopsy could be wrong. But Ill share some of the items Ive researched. (BTW, once I checked on that inflammatory infiltrate response, and in other parts of the body the Internet sources referenced about an hour. I would think that there are other factors which influence this timing though.)
As far as no inflammatory infiltrate or organization of the hemorrhage present, my understanding is that this doesnt necessarily correlate to the timing between the brain injury and the strangulation. From Kolars book, the experts conclusions regarding timing were based primarily on the swelling of the brain and neurological changes to the brain cells, not on an inflammatory infiltrate response:
The presence of cerebral edema, swelling of the brain, suggested that JonBenét had survived for some period of time after receiving the blow to her head. Blood from the injury slowly began to fill the cavity of the skull and began to build up pressure on her brain. As pressure increased, swelling was causing the medulla of the brain to push through the foramen magnum, the narrow opening at the base of the skull. Dr. Rorke estimated that it would have taken an hour or so for the cerebral edema to develop, but that this swelling had not yet caused JonBenéts death. Necrosis, neurological changes to the brain cells, indicated a period of survival after the blow that could have ranged from between forty-five (45) minutes and two (2) hours. (Kolar Kindle 899-902)
In another thread there was a description of capillary congestion. That is not really a capillary block, more like a reference to the amount of blood flow into the capillaries.
Hyperemia is an increase of blood flow of the capillaries in the lower layers of the skin. It occurs with any skin injury, infection, or inflammation and has many causes and types.
In the course of trying to understand more (and I wish we had a doctor or two in the house), I also researched evidence of rape or unwanted vaginal intrusion. When an exam is performed to establish rape, doctors of course look for seminal fluid. But they also note other injuries like bruises and hyperemia. Because of the evidence of hyperemia in the posterior right of JBs vaginal vault, I was confused. I still dont know if this occurred from the paintbrush. However, then I came across two discussions of hyperemia after vaginal intrusion and discovered that hyperemia can be found from 1 day to several days after an assault. It may be that the hyperemia was caused that night, or it could be evidence of an injury dating 24-72 hours prior to JBs death. If the source of the hyperemia were digital and caused as long as 72 hours prior (and I make no claim at all to know), then it might lead to conjecture/perception of something which happened at the R party the evening of the 23rd.
Wishing we had access to the coroners notes. But since we dont, Im left like everybody else wondering about specific details of the injuries.
MHO