autopsy Flashcards
what are the 2 key legislations surrounding autopsy
coroners law and the human tissue act
what does coroners law cover
post mortem examination
registration
inquests
disposal
what does the human tissue act cover
retention
disposal of human tissue
consent
what are the two things that can happen after death
- Certification without a coroner
- Death is certified by doctor after informal advice from coroner or coroner issues form 100A (doctor certifies death) or coroner orders autopsy (coroner certifies death)
what are the 3 crucial death certifications
- Medical Certificate of cause of death
- Death certificate - a certified copy of the entry in the death register
- Green form - certificate for burial or cremation
what are the 5 main roles regarding autopsy
- Coroner
- Coroners officer
- Pathologist
- APT
- Medical examiner
explain what is meant by the term coroner and their role is
independent judicial officer that usually has a medical or legal background - they get to decide whether a post mortem should be performed, influence legal changes and conclude manners of death (what lead to death)
explain what is meant by the term coroners officer and what their role is
people that act on behalf of the coroner and liaise closely with the family of the deceased - they can attend scenes of death/ PMs/ inquests
explain what is meant by the term pathologist and what their role is
a pathologist is a medically qualified individual who performs post mortems, establishes cause of death and performs diagnostic histology duties - usually employed by the hospital or coroner
what is meant by the term APT and what is their role
a diploma qualified individual that is a pathologists assistant, who carries out mortuary maintenance and is the custodian of the deceased
what is meant by the term medical examiner and what is their role
a newer role that is usually filled via a senior doctor to provide greater safeguards for the public by ensuring proper scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths - improves quality of death certification and mortality data
what does post mortem mean
after death
what does forensic post mortem mean
independent judicially authorised examination to ascertain the cause of death - findings inform the court/ criminal investigation
define autopsy
surgical examination of a body after death
when is an autopsy needed
sudden/ unexpected deaths
unknown cause
unnatural
suspicious
death in custody
has not seen a doctor during their last illness or within 2 weeks
death as a result of a medical procedure or before full recovery
result of neglect
related to employment/ industrial disease
name a few reasons why autopsy’s are needed
provide cause of death
reconstruct events
insurance
mortality records
make legislative changes
public interest
what does common law state about property regarding a body
‘There is no property in the body’
what are the 3 main types of post mortems and how do they differ
- Coroners - consent not required, APT completes evisceration and pathologist determines COD
- Hospital - family’s consent is required, COD is known but autopsy is conducted for gathering of information
- Forensic - consent not required as usually required for suspicious deaths, pathologist completes evisceration and determine COD
what are the 6 subtypes of post mortem examinations
- Paediatric
- High risk
- Independent
- Start stop - police in attendance
- Toxicology only
- Non-invasive e.g. MRI scanning
name the 10 stages in the post mortem procedure
- Confirmation of identity
- External examination
- Evisceration
- Toxicology
- Weighing organs
- Dissection
- Histology
- Reconstruction
- Cleaning down
- Storage
what does the term external examination mean
analysing the outside of the body during an autopsy e.g. wounds, abrasions, fractures, tattoos, piercings, conditions of skin, surgical scars, etc.
what does the term evisceration mean
removal of organs
what are the 3 shapes of incision used in eviscerations
Y, I/straight and modified Y (a U shape at the top instead of a V)
what are the 4 ways of organ removal
- En Masse of Letuille - all viscera together
- En Bloc method of Ghon - blocks of systems
- Virchow - organ by organ removal
- Rokinansky - In situ examination - removal of select organs
how do we remove the brain
- Reflection of scalp
- oscillating saw
- Hit with a hammer
- Lift skull off
- Use of scalpel to cut optic nerves
- Packed full of cotton or medical pads on reconstruction
what can histology analysis provide regarding autopsy
COD - as it cannot cannot be found macroscopically
what 6 things occur during reconstruction after an autopsy
- removal of excess fluid
- packing - prevents leakage and reconstructs 3. shape
- suturing
- cleaning
- make viewings possible whilst maintaining the deceased’s dignity
