AUTOPSY

It means to see for oneself.

(Auto = Self Opis = View)

-Clinical autopsy.
-Medico-legal autopsy.
Medico-legal autopsy or post mortem
examination is a special type of scientific
examination of dead body carried out
under the laws of the state for the
protection of its citizens and to assist the
identification and prosecution of the
guilty.
OBJECTS\ AIMS
Cause of death.
Manner of death.
Time since death.
To establish identity,
To retain relevant organs and tissue as
evidence.
 Rules for Medico-Legal
Autopsy
Authorization.
Identification.
Visit of scene of crime.
History of the case.
Verification of the injuries noted by the
police.
Examination.
Notes.
Preservation of viscera and other tissue.
List of artifacts.
 Contents of the Autopsy
report
The preamble
-Authority.
-Time of arrival of body. -Date and
place of examination.
-Name,Age and Sex.
- Body identified by.
The body of the report
- External and internal examination.
- Wounds\Injuries-
nature,direction,situation
and sizes.
- Conclusions.
 External
examination
Condition of the body
Marks of identification.
Eyes.
State of natural
orifices,ears,nostrils,mouth,anus,urethra
and vagina.
Injuries-nature,position and
measurements.
State of limbs.
Genitals and breasts.
 Thorax

Walls, ribs and cartilages.

Pleura and diaphragm
Larynx,trachea and bronchi.
Lungs with weight.pericardium.
Heart,cavities,valves and coronary
vessels.
Large vessels(Aorta)
 Poisoning cases

Smell of the body and viscera.

Postmortem staining and its colour.
If froth present,its nature.
Colour of sclera, lips and nails.
Mouth and surroundings.
Injuries.
Details of G.I tract examination.
Description of stomach and contents.
Viscera to be collected for
Chemical
Examination
Stomach with contents.
Upper part of small intestine.
- 30cms with contents.
500gms of liver and half of each kidney.
5-10ml of blood.30ml of urine.
 Hanging\Ligature
strangulation cases
Description of ligature material.
Description of the ligatures mark.
Marks of salivary dribble.
Condition of eyes and pupils.
Colour of lips and nails.position of tongue.
Distribution of postmortem staining.
Presence of injuries on the body.
Examination of neck sutures.
Injury to cervical spine and cord.
Examination of internal organs.
Preservation of viscera in cases of suspicion
of poisoning.
 Burns cases

Smell from the body,kerosene other

inflammable agents.
Nature of burns.
- Antemortem
- Postmortem.
Extent and degree of burns.
Age of burns.
Injuries other than burns.
Colour of postmortem staining.
Examination of air passages for the presence
of soot particles.
Evidence of
-Poisoning.
- Pregnancy,abortion,sexual
assaults.
 Negative Autopsy

When gross and microscopic examination

and other investigations fail to reveal a
cause of death,the autopsy is considered to
be negative.
- Men.
- Material.
-Method.
 Men
Lack of experience.
Lack of training.

Material
Inadequate microscopic examination.
Insufficient laboratory examination.
Lack of toxicological analysis.
 Method

Inadequate history.
Lapses in external examination.
Inadequate or improper internal
examination.
 Obscure Autopsy

Which do not reveal the cause for death in

which there are trivial,equivocal or obscure
findings or no positive findings.
Causes
Natural diseases.
-Death by emotion or work stress.
-Death due to functional failure-

epilepsy,paroxysmal fibrillation.
 Biochemical disturbances
Uraemia,diabetes,potassium deficiency.
Anoxic anaemia.

Endocrine dysfunction
Adrenal insufficiency.
Thyrotoxicosis or Myxoedema.

Concealed trauma
Concussion.
Blunt injury to heart.
Reflex vagal inhibition.
 Poisoning

Narcotic poisoning.
Anesthetic over dosage.
Neurotoxic or Cytotoxic poisons.
Plant poisoning.

Miscellaneous
Allergy.
Drug idiosyncrasy.
 Artifacts

May be defined as a change in the natural

state of the body that is likely to be
misinterpreted at autopsy.
-Before death.
-At the moment of death.
-After death.
-During autopsy.
 Before death

Therapeutic artifacts.
Surgical artifacts.

At the moment of
death
Agonal artifacts.
Resuscitation artifacts
 After death

Artifacts due to the handling of the body.

Artifacts related to rigor mortis.
Artifacts related to postmortem lividity.
Artifacts due to animal bite.
Artifacts due to chemicals.
Artifacts due to refrigeration.
Embalming artifacts.
 Artifacts during
autopsy

Air in blood vessels.

Skull fractures.
Visceral damage.
Extravasation of blood.
Fracture of hyoid bone.