Learning from the dead

Question 1

What are the three types of autopsies?

Answer 1

Medicolegal

Forensic

Consent (hospital)

Question 2

What is a medicolegal autopsy?

Answer 2

Performed on behalf of the HM Coroner

No consent needed

Question 3

What is a forensic autopsy?

Answer 3

Sub-type of coroner’s post-mortems

Used for supcious deaths

Question 4

What is a consent (hospital) autopsy?

Answer 4

When consent is given from a next of kin

This may limit the examination

Question 5

What are the stages to an autopsy?

Answer 5

History

External examination

Internal examination

Additional tests

Question 6

What takes place in the external examination in an autopsy?

Answer 6

Look for:

Natural disease

Injury

Medical intervention

Imaging

Question 7

What takes place in the internal examination of an autopsy?

Answer 7

All systems examined in most cases, sometimes this is limited in consent cases

Question 8

Additional testing what are they used for:

Histology

Toxicology

Biochemistry

Microbiology

Genetics

Answer 8

Histology - For making/confirming a diagnosis

Toxicology - e.g. blood, urine, vitreous humor (fluid back of eye), theraputic/recreational drugs

Biochemistry - Diabetic/Alcholic ketoacidosis, renal failure

Microbiology - Bacteria, viruses, fungi

Genetics- DNA fingerprinting

Question 9

What are pediatric autopsies uses for?

Answer 9

Death in utero, perinatal deaths (within 1 year), Infancy, suspicious