Learning From The Dead

Question 1

What has learning from the dead provided ?

Answer 1

1) detailed information about anatomy
2) opportunity to relate structure to function
3) ability to study the effects of disease processes and allow clinicopathological correlation / cause of death
4) evidence for criminal proceedings
5) ability to assess the impact of therapeutic intervention S

Question 2

Do we still learn from the dead ?

Answer 2

YES because modern imaging techniques , biochem and biopsies provide va,usable information but do not explain everything

2) still used for neurodegenerative disorders

3

Question 3

What is an autopsy

Answer 3

To see for oneself

Question 4

What are the different types of autospies?

Answer 4

1) medicolegal
2) forensic
3) consent ( hospital )

Question 5

What is a medicolegal autopsy?

Answer 5

• performed on behalf of HM coroner
• no consent needed
• it is a legal requirement
• deceased is often unknown
• obviously unnatural death
• death related to occupation or accident
• death related to medical treatment or procedure
• anyone who is detained by the state eg prison , mental hospital -

Question 6

What is a forensic autopsy ?

Answer 6

• a branch of the coroner autopsy

- suspicious deaths

Question 7

What is a consent autopsy ?

Answer 7

Consent is required from next of kin

• may limit examaination because next of kin states how far you are allowed to examine

Question 8

What is involved in an autopsy? - what type of tests are taken out

Answer 8

• history is taken ( often limited because person is deceased)
• external examination ( whether it is a natural disease , injury or whether there was some medical intervention )
• internal examination : of all systems , it is quite limited sometimes usually when consent is required
• histologogical tests are often taken
• toxicology ( urine , bile , recreational drugs)
• biochemistry tests ( diabetes ketoacidosis , alcoholic ketoacidosis , renal failure )
• microbiology ( viruses , bacterial , fungi)
• molecular tests which often tests for genetic diseases , for example if people die too young of heart disease we want to see if this is genetic .

Question 9

Who invented genetic fingerprinting?

Answer 9

Prof. Sir Alex jeffreys

Question 10

What Re often the common areas of sudden death ?

Answer 10

• head

Heart

Blood vessels

Lungs

Question 11

What is the advantage of post morgen imaging ?

Answer 11

Reduces the need for invasive autopsy

Question 12

What is neuropathology?

Answer 12

• this involves cellular pathology restricted to the CNS, peripheral nerves. Muscle , trauma

Question 13

What are issues with paediatric autopsies ?

Answer 13

• challenging emotionally and technically
• safeguarding issues
• medicolegal issues

Question 14

What are positives about paediatric autopsies?

Answer 14

1( vital in providing answers for grieving family and medical staff

• parents want to know about ‘ next time ‘ , whether it will happen again in a future child,
• useful for teaching and research into congenital diseases