Learning From The Dead Flashcards
State the 2 components of history of dissection
Early Human dissection
Medical education
Compare the 3 types of autopsy
- Coroners (Medicolegal): Performed on behalf of coroner, no consent needed
- Forensic: Subtype of coroner’s autopsy, suspicious deaths
- Hospital (Consent): Consent from next of skin, examination may be limited
Give 7 occasions when a Coroner’s requirement is needed
- Legal requirement
- Deceased unknown
- Deceased not seen by doctor within 14 days of death
- Attending doctor unable to give cause of death
- Obviously unnatural cause of death
- Death related to occupational disease/ accident
- Death related to medical treatment/ procedure
What are 4 steps of an autopsy
History
External Examination
Internal Examination
Additional tests
In Coroner’s cases, how is the history affected
Often limited
Compare Internal and External examination
External:
- To ascertain injury, natural disease, medical intervention
- Sometimes uses imaging
Internal:
- All systems examined usually
- Examination Sometimes limited in consensual cases
What additional tests can be used
Histology Toxicology Biochemistry Microbiology Genetics
Describe the following additional tests
Histology
Microbiology
Genetics
Histology: to make/ confirm a diagnosis
Microbiology: Bacteria, viruses, fungi
Genetics: DNA fingerprinting
Describe the following additional tests
Toxicology
Biochemistry
Toxicology: Blood, urine, bile, therapeutic and recreational drugs
Biochemistry: Diabetic/ alcoholic ketoacidosis, renal failure
Name 6 common causes of sudden death
- Extradural haemorrhage
- Subdural haemorrhage
- Sub arachnoid haemorrhage
- Stroke
- Coronary thrombosis
- Valvular disease