What has examination of dead bodies over centuries provided us with?
- Detailed info about anatomy
- Relate structure to function
- Study effects of disease processes
- Evidence for criminal activity
- Assess impact of therapeutic interventions.
Do we still learn from the dead?
Yes - post mortems, research etc
Describe people’s attitudes to early human dissection
Frowned upon by religious authorities
What are the different types of autopsies that are performs in the 21st century?
- Medicolegal
- Forensic
- Consent (hospital)
What is a medicolegal autopsy?
- Performed on behalf of HM coroner
- No consent needed
What is a forensic autopsy?
- Sub-type of coroner’s post mortem
- Suspicious deaths
What is a consent (hospital) autopsy?
- Consent form next of kin
- May limit examination
Under what circumstance is a coroner’s autopsy performed?
- Legal requirement
- Deceased unknown
- Deceased not seen by a doctor within 14 days of death
- Attending doctor not able to give cause of death
- Obviously unnatural death
- Death related to occupational disease/accident
- Death related to medical treatment or procedure
What are the main things involved in an autopsy?
- History
- External examination
- Internal examination
- Additional tests
What is involved in the external examination of an autopsy?
- Natural disease
- Injury
- Medical intervention
What is involved in an internal examination of an autopsy?
- All systems examined
- Limited sometimes - especially in consent cases
What additional test might be needed in an autopsy?
Histology, toxicology, biochemistry, microbiology anf genetics
Why might histology be needed in an autopsy?
- For making a diagnosis
- For confirming a diagnosis
Why might toxicology be needed in an autopsy?
- Blood, urine, bile
- Therapeutic drugs
- Recreational drugs
Why might biochemistry be needed in an autopsy?
- Diabetic ketocidosis
- Alcoholic ketoacidosis
- Renal failure
Why might microbiology be needed in an autopsy?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
Why might genetic be needed in an autopsy?
- DNA fingerprinting
- Criminal reasons i.e. elimination of a suspect
What are the common causes of sudden death?
Head, heart, blood vessels and lungs
