Autopsy Flashcards
After death examination of the body and dissection of its internal organs to confirm or determine the cause of ______.
Autopsy
death
Autopsy can uncover the existence of ______ not detected during life, determine the extent of _____ may have contributed to a person’s death.
diseases
injuries
Once an internal autopsy is complete the body is > reconstituted by _____ it back together
sewing
PRELIMINARIES of Autopsy: [4]
- Written consent from the next of kin-abide by the extent or restrictions allowed
- Death certificate [blue form]
- Medical abstract/Clinical data
- Medicolegal clearance
PME IS PERMITTED W/O CONSENT IN THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES [4]
- When it is ordered by the police or coroner
- When it is necessary to complete the death certificate [inconclusive]
- When the deceased himself has given consent before he died [advanced directive]
- Deceased military personnel who dies in active/training duty or military service
DEMONSTRATABLE CHANGES AFTER DEATH [6]
- Algor mortis
- Rigor Mortis
- Liver Mortis/Post-Mortem Hypostasis
- Post-mortem clotting of blood
- Tissue discoloration
- Putrefaction
_________
cooling of the body; not reliable indicator of the time of death ← factors [2]
Algor mortis
environmental
temp
1st demonstrable change after death
algor mortis
Algor mortis:
@____ temp- decreases to [#]F per [hr frequency] at ____ hr of death
room
2-2.5
per 1hr
1hr
___________
rigidity/hardening of the body (w/in [#] hrs after death) due to the hardening of________ ← lack of __________.
Rigor mortis
2hrs
skeletal muscle
ATP degeneration
After ___ hrs- complete hardening
12
___________
blood supply decreases due to gravity > gravitates to the _______.
Liver Mortis/Post-Mortem Hypostasis
skin vessels
Liver mortis time occurrence:
evident as early as ______ after death; ____hrs: fully evident; (+) _______: [color spots]
20 mins
4-8hrs
tardien spots [purple to black spots]
no blood supply= PALE after death
Tissue discoloration
cellular death = FOOD ODOR after death
Putrefaction
seek/find the cause and manner of death
Medicolegal/Forensic [Coroner’s] Autopsy
Coroner’s autopsy:
Female:
Male:
Jane Doe
John Doe
generally performed, as prescribed by applicable law
Coroner’s autopsy
diagnose a particular disease; explanation/relevance of the factors that caused the disease-death; clarifies the medical diagnosis; gain more insight into ______ processes.
➔ Autopsies are also performed to ensure the standard of ___ at hospitals.
➔ Autopsies can yield insight into how patient deaths can be [action] in the future.
Clinical autopsy
pathological
care
prevented
performed by studys (Anatomy) for study purposes.
Anatomical/Academic Autopsy
__________
imaging technology autopsy. [2 Examples]
Virtual autopsy
Magnetic resonance imaging
Computed tornography scan
5 Classifications of Death
Natural
Accident
Homicide
Suicide
Undetermined
- External Examination
➔ ________
➔ Note the _____, ______.
➔ Evidence-residues (______)
➔ Samples of ____, ______
➔ After external evidence is collected- body is _______, ______ and examine the ______.
➔ _____ the body, ______ , _______.
➔ General description of the body as regards [5] and other distinguishing features (birthmarks, old scar tissue, moles, etc)
Photography
clothing, position
UV light
hair, nails
removed from the bag, undressed, wounds
age, sex, ethnicity, hair color/length, eye color
Internal Examination- incision [3]
Toxicology
Biochemical Test
Genetic Testing
In Y-shaped incision, we use what cadavers?
male cadavers
starting from the tips of both shoulders > running down the front of the chest> meet @lower point of the sternum in the middle
Y- shaped incision
MOST COMMON incision
Y-shaped incision
maximum exposure of the neck structure for later detailed examination.
Y-shaped incision
incision essential in cases of strangulation.
Y-shaped incision
from the tips of both shoulders (in a horizontal line)> across the region of the collar bones to meet at the sternum in the middle
T-shaped incision
incision w/ aesthetic finish
T-shaped incision
starts at the adam’s apple of the male (middle neck region)
I-shaped/Single Vertical Cut
Techniques in autopsy
Autopsy of Virchow
Autopsy of Letulle
Autopsy of Rokitansky
Autopsy of Ghon
each organ is taken out one by one
Autopsy of Virchow
Good for demonstrating pathologic change in individual organs
Virchow
Good for high risk autopsies
and limited autopsies
Virchow
Has the advantages of:
–Simple to perform
–Systematic examination of organs
Autopsy of Virchow
DISADVANTAGE:
► Destroys anatomic relationships
Autopsy of Virchow
organs are taken out en-bloc.
Autopsy of Letulle
Best for preserving vascular supply
Autopsy of Letulle
Best for preserving relationship of different organs
Autopsy of Letulle
Autopsy that is fast and easy
Autopsy of Letulle
Advantages:
—- Organs can be removed and stored for later dissection
—- Body can be released
Autopsy of Letulle
Advantages:
—- Complete preservation of relationships among organs is possible
—- All organs examined thoroughly
Autopsy of Letulle
DISADVANTAGE:
— Bulky and difficult to handle for a single prosector
Autopsy of Letulle
DISADVANTAGE:
—- Organs dissected rarely returned to their respective sites
Autopsy of Letulle
DISADVANTAGE:
—- Artifactual postmortem injuries may occur
Autopsy of Letulle
DISADVANTAGE:
—- Subsequent autopsies not possible
Autopsy of Letulle
where organs are examine in-situ. (It means “locally”, “on site”, “on the premises” or “in place“)
Autopsy of Rokitansky
ADVANTAGE:
v Good preservation of anatomic structures
v Good preservation of pathologic anatomic relationships
Autopsy of Rokitansky
ADVANTAGE:
v Practical for single examiner
Autopsy of Rokitansky
ADVANTAGE:
v Subsequent autopsies can be easily performed on the same body
Autopsy of Rokitansky
DISADVANTAGES:
v Requires a certain degree of expertise and skill
Autopsy of Rokitansky
DISADVANTAGES:
v Thorough examination may not be possible
Autopsy of Rokitansky
DISADVANTAGES:
v IF CAUSE OF DEATH IS DETERMINED, less attention is paid to other pathologies
Autopsy of Rokitansky
__________
where organs are taken out in 3 separate blocks [Enumerate]
Autopsy of Ghon
Abdominal region
Cervical region
Urogenital region
Maintains all connections between physiologically related organs (organ systems)
Autopsy of Ghon
Preserves anatomical relationships and simpler to execute
Autopsy of Ghon
ADVANTAGE:
v Anatomic relationships are preserved without a bulky mass of organs
Autopsy of Ghon
ADVANTAGE:
v Systems examined within their structural integrity
Autopsy of Ghon
ADVANTAGE:
v Good observation of pathologic lesions
Autopsy of Ghon
DISADVANTAGE:
v Not ideal for X multiple organ involvement
Autopsy of Ghon
DISADVANTAGE:
Requires skill and time
Autopsy of Ghon
