4 - Learning From The Dead Flashcards
What are the three types of autopsy completed today?
Medicolegal - On behalf of HM coroner, no consent needed
Forensic - type of coroner post mortem for suspicious deaths
Consent (Hospital) - consent from next of kin, may be limited examination
What are the four steps of an autopsy?
- History
- External examination (imaging, injury, natural disease, medical intervention)
- Internal examination (all systems)
- Additional tests
What are some additional tests that can be carried out in an autopsy?
- Genetics
- Histology
- Toxicology
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
What are some common causes of sudden death?
- Extradural haemorrhage
- Subdural haemorrhage
- Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
- Stroke
- Coronary thrombosis
- Valvular disease
What are the types of specialised autopsies and what can they be used for?
- Neuropathology: trauma, neurodegenerative disease, research
- Paediatric: death in utero, perinatal death, suspicious death, sudden infant death, provide answers for grieving families, safeguarding, teaching and research, patients want to know for ‘next time’
- Forensic: small speciality , more than autopsies
When are autopsies required?
- Deceased unknown
- Deceased not been seen by doctor within 14 days of death
- Attending doctor not able to give cause of death
- Death to occupational disease or accident
- Anyone who dies in the care of the state, e.g prison
What is the point of using genetic testing for autopsies?
To test for genetic diseases
What type of infarct typically occurs in the brain?
- White
- Not red but appears red as liquifactive necrosis leaving a hole that can be filled by blood
