What is an autopsy?
An autopsy is a medical procedure that is carried out on a deceased person in order to discover a range of information regarding the death. An autopsy seeks to discover the following information: • The identity of the deceased person. • When they died, the nature and extent of any disease they currently suffer from, or have suffered in the past. • The nature and extent of any injury they are suffering from or have suffered in the past. • The cause of their death. • The circumstances that surround how they died. • Information on natural disease or injury that has the capacity to prevent the death of another member of the community in related circumstances. An autopsy can be considered a public health procedure. It can inform treating medical practitioners about the effects of medical treatment that have been provided in the recent past, and in forensic cases, can assist Police and justice agencies in assembling the evidence required for criminal proceedings. Given the value of the autop
An autopsy, also called a post-mortem examination, is a detailed and careful medical examination of a person’s body and its organs after death to help establish the cause of death. The word autopsy is derived from a Greek word autopsia meaning ‘seeing for oneself’. A physician, called a pathologist, who specialises in the study of human diseases, performs the autopsy. Surgical techniques are used to remove and examine each organ, and some tissue samples are selected for microscopic examination or other special tests as required. (A small tissue sample is typically about 0.5cm thick). An autopsy is usually carried out within 48 hours after the death of a person. An autopsy can be hospital-based (non-coronial) or coronial. Coronial autopsies are ordered by the state coroner, whereas hospital based autopsies may be performed at the request of the family of the deceased.
An autopsy is a medical exam of the body of a person who has died. The purpose of an autopsy is to answer questions about the person’s illness or the cause of death. In addition, autopsies provide valuable information that helps doctors save the lives of others. Autopsies are performed by specially trained doctors, called pathologists.
The word autopsy literally means to see for one’s self. An autopsy is a systematic examination of the body of a deceased person by a qualified forensic pathologist. The body is inspected for the presence of disease or injury and specimens of the vital organs and/or body fluids may be taken for microscopic, chemical or other tests. In rare instances, an entire organ might need to be retained for detailed examination and/or consultation with a specialist. These tests are conducted following conclusion of the examination and do not delay release of the body to the next of kin. The autopsy procedure usually takes several hours to complete. The fact that an autopsy has been conducted does NOT in any way interfere with having the body on view at the funeral.
