Autopsy

An autopsy (also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy or obduction) is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination performed on a corpse after death, to evaluate disease or injury that may be present and to determine the cause and manner of a person's death.

The process

The body is received at a medical examiner's office or hospital in a body bag or evidence sheet. A brand new body bag is used for each body, to ensure that only evidence from that body is contained within the bag. Evidence sheets are an alternate way to transport the body. An evidence sheet is a sterile sheet that the body is covered in when it is moved.

Related Topics:
Body bag - Sterile

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There are two levels of the physical examination of the body, external and internal. Toxicology, biochemical tests and/or genetic testing often supplement these and frequently assist the pathologist in assigning cause(s) of death.

Related Topics:
Toxicology - Genetic testing - Pathologist

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External examination

The person responsible for handling, moving, cleaning the body is often called a diener (the German word for servant). After the body is received, it is first photographed. Then the examiner notes the clothes and the position of the clothes on the body before they are removed. Then evidences like gun powder residue, paint flakes etc are collected from the external surfaces of the body. Samples of hair, finger nails etc are taken at this stage. Sometimes special ultraviolet radiation is used to search the body for evidence that may not be easily visible to the naked eye. The body may also be X-rayed at this stage.

Related Topics:
Gun powder - Ultraviolet - X-rayed

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Once the evidence is collected, the body is removed from the bag, undressed and the wounds if any are examined. This is followed by cleaning the body for the actual examination. After the body is cleaned, it is weighed and measured. Often, the scale is large enough to accommodate the cart that the body is transported on. The person's weight is then determined by subtracting the weight of the cart from the total weight seen on the scale. The body is then transported to the autopsy room and placed on the autopsy table. A plastic or rubber brick called the body block is placed under the back of the corpse causing the chest to protrude forward and making it easier to cut open. Then a general description of the body with regards to race, sex, hair color and length, eye color, age, and identifying features is recorded. A handheld voice recorder or a standard exam form is normally used to record this information.

Related Topics:
Evidence - Bag - Wounds - Scale - Cart - Plastic - Rubber - Race - Sex

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Internal examination

After the body has been prepared for autopsy, a block is placed under the chest. This causes the chest to protrude outward and the arms and neck to fall back. This allows the prosector, a pathologist or pathologist-assistant, the maximum exposure to the trunk. After this is done, the internal examination begins. The internal examination consists of inspecting the internal organs of the body for evidence of trauma or other indications of the cause of death. For the internal examination, a large and deep Y-shaped incision is made from shoulder to shoulder meeting at the breastbone extending all the way down to the pubic bone and will make a slight deviation to the side to avoid the navel. If the body is that of a woman, the incisions are made to go around the breasts so that the arms of the "Y" have a slightly curved appearance. Bleeding from the cuts (if there even is any) is minimal, because gravity is producing the only blood pressure.

Related Topics:
Body - Prosector - Pathologist - Trunk - Internal organs - Trauma - Incision - Breastbone - Pubic bone - Bleeding - Gravity - Blood pressure

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An electric saw dubbed a "Stryker saw" is most often used to open the chest cavity. The prosector uses the tool to saw through the ribs on the lateral sides of the chest cavity to allow the sternum and attached ribs to be lifted as one chest plate; this is done so that the heart and lungs can be seen in situ and that the heart, in particular the pericardial sac is not damaged or disturbed from opening. A scalpel is utilized to remove any soft tissue that is still attached to the posterior side of the chest plate. Now the lungs and the heart are exposed. The chest plate is set aside and will be eventually replaced at the end of the autopsy.

Related Topics:
Saw - Tool - Sternum - In situ - Pericardial sac - Scalpel - Lungs

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At this stage all the organs are exposed. Then a series of cuts, along the vertebral column, are made so that the organs can be detached and pulled out in one piece for further inspection and sampling. The various organs are examined, weighed and tissue samples in the form of slices are taken. Even major blood vessels are cut open and inspected at this stage. Next the stomach and its contents are examined and weighed. This could be useful to find the cause and time of death.

Related Topics:
Organ - Blood vessel - Stomach

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The body block that was utilized earlier to elevate the chest cavity is now used to elevate the head. To examine the brain, a cut is made from behind one ear, across the forehead, to the other ear and around. These incisions are made on the back of the head so that when the autopsy is completed, the incision can be neatly sewn up and is not noticed when the head is resting on a pillow in funeral where it is open casket. The scalp is pulled away from the skull in two flaps with the front flap going over the face and the rear flap over the back of the neck. The skull is then cut with an electric saw to create a "cap" that can be pulled off, exposing the brain. The dura - the soft tissue membrane that covers the brain remains attached to the "cap". The brain's connection to the spinal cord is severed, and the brain can then be easily lifted out of the skull for examination. If the brain needs to be preserved before being inspected, it is contained in a jar of formalin (Ten percent solution of formaldehyde gas in buffered water) for at least two weeks. This not only preserves the brain, but also makes it firmer allowing easier handling without corrupting the tissue.

Related Topics:
Cavity - Brain - Head - Incision - Funeral - Scalp - Skull - Electric saw - Dura - Membrane - Spinal cord - Formalin - Formaldehyde - Water

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