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- An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death; or the exam may be performed to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present for research or educational purposes.
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Autopsy
An autopsy is a medical examination of a body after death to find the cause — and sometimes manner — of death. A pathologist trained to perform autopsies thoroughly examines the inside and outside of the body. The word “autopsy” comes from the Greek word “autopsia,” which means “to see for oneself.”. People sometimes call an ...
- Overview
- Who performs an autopsy?
- Who can request an autopsy?
- Who pays for an autopsy when someone dies?
- Process
- Findings
- Next steps
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
Forensic pathologists can use autopsies to discern someone’s identity, determine the cause and manner of death, and estimate when death occurred. However, not all autopsies yield clear findings.
Legal entities, hospitals, and individual citizens can all request autopsies.
As the same 2022 review explains, autopsies require medical professionals with special training. These medical professionals are called pathologists. Part of their training covers how to examine dead people’s bodies and their organs in order to acquire relevant information.
Coroner’s autopsy vs. hospital autopsy
Forensic or coroner’s autopsies can help in cases of suspicious, unknown, or potentially aggressive causes of death.
Another type of autopsy called a clinical or hospital autopsy, happens in a hospital setting with a pathologist and is requested by the family of the deceased to ascertain why their loved one may have passed away.
Legal authorities within the state, hospital officials, and individual citizens can all request autopsies.
As the aforementioned 2022 review explains, legal authorities must request an autopsy when someone has died unexpectedly, under suspicious circumstances, or “unnaturally.” In this context, an “unnatural” death means a death from an unexpected cause, such as the discovery of the corpse of an otherwise healthy person. It could be the result of factors like untreated health problems, accidental trauma, suicide, or homicide.
Hospital officials can also request autopsies. This may be necessary when hospital treatment has failed to prevent death. Under these circumstances, the hospital may want to understand the details of their patient’s death.
Individual citizens can also request autopsies for friends, family members, or loved ones. They can do so via private autopsy services.
If a state orders a coroner’s autopsy, then the state must bear its costs. This can happen during the course of a criminal investigation. The relatives or carers of whoever has died do not need to contribute to the payment in any way.
However, some individuals may wish to request an autopsy for someone that they knew, even if the state did not order one. In this case, the individual in question must bear the cost of the autopsy. Costs may vary from state to state.
As the aforementioned 2022 review explains, the exact details of an autopsy may vary from case to case. They process might involve:
•body weight and other physical measurements
•photographs to document bruises and other injuries
•radiographs, such as X-rays
•fingerprints
•retrieval of any foreign bodies, such as bullets, glass fragments, etc.
Forensic pathologists will relay information to whoever has requested the autopsy. This may be a legal authority, a hospital, or an individual. Legal authorities and hospitals may then pass this information to the deceased person’s family or loved ones.
Not all autopsies yield definitive results. Sometimes, forensic pathologists cannot determine the deceased person’s identity, time of death, or cause of death.
What happens after an autopsy depends on many details, which can vary from case to case.
As the same 2022 review states, people can request second autopsies. This can happen when a first autopsy yields inconclusive findings. However, if the findings seem conclusive, the relevant authorities can use them. For instance, the findings may become evidence for a police investigation or court case.
What happens to the body after an autopsy?
After an autopsy, an individual’s body becomes the responsibility of either family members or the state.
How long after death can an autopsy be done?
Forensic pathologists can perform autopsies many years after death.
Can you see a body after an autopsy?
Family and loved ones should be able to see the body after an autopsy.
Autopsies are postmortem examinations performed by forensic pathologists to find out information about a deceased person. This may be their identity, an estimate of when the death occurred, or the cause and manner of death.
Forensic pathologists can do all this with visual inspection techniques, surgical methods, laboratory tests, and by examining clothing or items on a body.
Autopsy, dissection and examination of a dead body and its organs and structures. An autopsy may be performed to determine the cause of death, to observe the effects of disease, and to establish the evolution and mechanisms of disease processes. Learn more about autopsies, including their history.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
If the cause of death is unknown or if the death is sudden, suspicious, unnatural death a thorough and scientific investigation is necessary. Autopsy or postmortem examination is gold standard in this respect from ages to find the cause of death and to study diseases.
- Abhishek Das, Ranadip Chowdhury
- 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_194_16
- 2017
- Apr-Jun 2017
An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death; or the exam may be performed to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present for research or educat...
- 89.8
Home Health Treatments, Tests and Therapies. Autopsy. What is an autopsy? An autopsy is a medical exam of a body after death. Why is an autopsy done? Autopsies may be done for several reasons, including the following: When a suspicious or unexpected death occurs. When there's a public health concern, such as an outbreak with an undetermined cause.
Sep 8, 2017 · Last Updated: September 8, 2017. Autopsy Definition. An autopsy is a surgical procedure performed on a corpse after death (a period called, “post-mortem.”). It is typically conducted in an attempt to understand the person’s cause of death.
