5 The Autopsy Flashcards
Q: What does a coroner do?
A: investigates death and how it occurred
Q: List 4 types of death that must be reported to the coroner.
A: cause of death unknown
Death was violent, unnatural or suspicious
Death may be due to an accident (WHENEVER IT OCCURRED)
Death may be due to SUICIDE
Q: List 2 reasons for conducting hospital autopsies.
A: 2 from
Allows a thorough examination of the deceased, the extent of their disease, their treatment and its effects
Useful for audit
Monitoring effectiveness of new treatments
Teaching
Research
Q: What’s the use of a death certificate?
A: Allows you to see what the main causes of death are - helps divide funds more appropriately
Q: What are the differences between Coroners’ and Hospital Autopsy?
A: Hospital- Consent must be obtained from the next of kin, With consent ANY material can be taken
Coroners- NO consent needed, Material can only be taken if it is needed to help find the cause of death
Q: What are 4 causes of sudden unexpected death in the community?
A: Natural Causes of Sudden Unexpected Death
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Cardiac Arrhythmia is the usual mode of death, severe coronary artery atherosclerosis is the most common anatomical finding
Hypertensive Heart Disease: Usually accompanied by coronary artery atherosclerosis. Acute cardiac arrhythmia is the usual cause of death
Vascular System: Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm - associated with atherosclerosis and hypertension
Central Nervous System: Non-traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage - Berry aneurysm,
Intracerebral haemorrhage- Most common cause = hypertension
Q: What is a bruise?
A: DEFINITION: Bruise = an extravasated collection of blood which has leaked from damaged small arteries, venules and veins but not capillaries
A blunt trauma injury where a bruise is a contusion
Occurs alone or is associated with other injuries
Q: What affects a bruise?
A: Occurs more easily where the skin is lax
Fragility of vessels and coagulation state affect bruising
Q: What is an abrasion? What can it be due to?
A: DEFINITION: a graze or scratch
It is the most superficial of blunt trauma injuries
CONFINED TO THE EPIDERMIS
Due to tangential force - may have distal skin tag - e.g. friction burn
Due to vertical force - no distal skin tag - e.g. stamp
Q: Can a bruise occur before or after death?
A: both
Q: Can an abrasion occur before or after death?
A: both
Q: What is a laceration?
A: DEFINITION: a split to the skin due to BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA
Usually passes through the full thickness of the skin
Lacerations are deep and will bleed
Margins are ragged with crushing and bruising
Bridging fibres arch across the skin defect
Q: Where are lacerations common?
A: Common where skin can be COMPRESSED between the force and underlying bone - e.g. scalp, elbow, shin
Rare over soft fleshy ares - e.g. breast, buttocks
Q: What is flaying?
A: tangential applied force leading to horizontal laceration
Q: What is the difference between a cut and a stab? Describe these types of injury.
A: Cut = DEFINITION: the length of the injury is LONGER than its depth
Stab = DEFINITION: the depth of the wound is greater than the width
Edges are clean and margins are clear
Minimal injury to surrounding tissues
Information about weapon type can be gained from the wound
