foresnsic pathology Flashcards
(54 cards)
pathology
science of the cause and effect of diseases
pathologist
medical doctor who studies and diagnoses diseases in people
forensic pathology
science of the cause of disease and trauma that leads to death
forensic pathologist
medical doctor or pathologist who studies the cause of death by examining a corpse
autopsy
standardized dissection of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death
positive confirmatory identification
objective evidence: fingerprints, dental records (need antemortem sample for reference), DNA, medical prostheses-serialized and barcoded
presumptive identification
reasonable basis of identity
use presumptive methods to narrow down search for a positive ID
mitochondrial DNA, physical attributes (age, sex, hair color), tattoos, scars, birthmarks piercings, family ID, personal belongings
death investigation
purpose is to determine the cause, mechanism, and manner of death
cause of death
injury, disease, or trauma which leads to a person’s death
possibly a sequence of events
most recent is called the mechanism
older conditions lead to most recent
ex: complications during coronary bypass surgery (immediate) as a consequence of a rupture of the heart’s lining due to tissue death from lack of oxygen (proximate) as a consequence of coronary artery disease (proximate)
ex: exanguination (immediate) as a consequence of a gunshot wound to the chest (proximate)
mechanism of death
physiological abnormality that directly results in the death
most recent cause
exsanguination, cardia arrhythmia
manner of death
the way to which the causes of death came to be
explains the circumstances surrounding the death
may describe criminal intent
who is responsible
5 different rulings for manner of death
homicide, suicide, accidental, natural, unknown
manner of initial event determines the ultimate manner of death
death investigator systems
the coroner system, the medical examiner system
up to the state
coroner
generally elected
not required to be a physician
if not physician, must consult with forensic pathologist to perform an autopsy
ME
forensic pathologist
death investigations
determine cause and manner of death
review medical history (could it have contributed?)
determination of injuries that were incurred postmortem
review witness statements (suicidal red flags?)
scene examination (not always practical, use photos to determine postmortem movement, cause of death, time of death)
autopsy
autopsy
seeing with ones own eyes
external/ visual examination (classification of trauma)
internal examination and dissection (hospital and medico-legal
hospital autopsy
conducted based on the doctor’s request
family permission
medico-legal autopsy
medical investigation of death for legal purposes
unexpected/sudden death
unnatural death
suspicious death
external/visual examination
collection and description of any clothing
photographs of body clothed and unclothed
detailed examination of entire body
old wounds and scars
tattoos
more attention to this step in medico-legal vs. hospital autopsy because evidence may be present
sometimes autopsy is dictated
trauma notation in external/visual examination
forms, sketches, photos, measurements
gunshot wounds indicated as exits or entrances
path of bullet through the body
defensive or other wounds
determine they type of wound
size, shape, type
measure dimensions (length, width, depth)
show position relative to anatomical landmarks
defensive wounds
produced when a person attempts to protect themselves from attack
usually involving a knife or sharp object
limitations of identifying trauma to the human body
decomposition
may be difficult to determine type of wound
trauma accelerates decomposition because of insects
body not in original state - alteration
penetration variations
size of wound may not correlate to size of object that created it
classification of trauma
mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical
