A post-mortem examination, also known as an autopsy, is the examination of a body after death. The aim of a post-mortem is to determine the cause of death. ... Post-mortems provide useful information about how, when and why someone died. They enable pathologists to obtain a better understanding of how diseases spread.

Why is post-mortem necessary?

To document all injuries in order to answer any future questions that is unknown at the time of the autopsy. Who performs the post mortem examination? Post mortem examinations are carried out by doctors specialized and trained in the field of forensic medicine.

Why are autopsies required when a person dies?

An autopsy may be ordered by the coroner or medical examiner to determine the cause or manner of death, or to recover potential evidence such as a bullet or alcohol content in the blood. Policy varies across the United States but typically unwitnessed, tragic, or suspicious deaths require an autopsy.

Who decides if a post-mortem is needed?

The coroner may decide a post-mortem is needed to find out how the person died. This can be done either in a hospital or mortuary. You cannot object to a coroner's post-mortem - but if you've asked the coroner must tell you (and the person's GP) when and where the examination will take place.

What are the reasons for an autopsy?

Why is an autopsy done?

• When a suspicious or unexpected death occurs.
• When there's a public health concern, such as an outbreak with an undetermined cause.
• When no doctor knows the deceased well enough to state a cause of death and to sign the death certificate.

Autopsy :Detailed animation on how is Autopsy done

44 related questions found

What happens if no cause of death is found?

If the post mortem shows an unnatural cause of death, or if the cause of death is not found at the initial examination, the Coroner will open an investigation or inquest. They will also need to do this if the deceased died in custody or otherwise in the care of the State.

What makes a death suspicious?

A death is suspicious if it is unexpected and its circumstances or cause are medically or legally unexplained. Normally, this occurs in the context of medical care, suicide or suspected criminal activity.

Can you decline a post mortem?

The patient or the next of kin can refuse consent for a hospital post mortem and it cannot be carried out if consent is withheld. The next of kin cannot override a decision made by the patient in life regarding a hospital post mortem.

What does the morgue do to your body?

A morgue or mortuary (in a hospital or elsewhere) is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification (ID), removal for autopsy, respectful burial, cremation or other methods of disposal. In modern times, corpses have customarily been refrigerated to delay decomposition.

Does everyone get a post mortem?

If someone related to you has died and their death has been referred to a coroner, you won't be asked to give consent (permission) for a post-mortem to take place. This is because the coroner is required by law to carry out a post-mortem when a death is suspicious, sudden or unnatural.

Can family refuse an autopsy?

Yes, an autopsy can be ordered by authorities without relatives' consent in several situations. ... If an autopsy is not required by law or ordered by authorities, the deceased person's next of kin must give permission for an autopsy to be performed.

Who pays for an autopsy?

You do not have to pay for an autopsy if it is required by law. Some private pathologists offer their services through newspapers, funeral homes, or online. You would also have to pay for their services.

What happens when someone dies unexpectedly at home?

If an unexpected death takes place at home, either call 911 or your local police or fire station, even if the death was peaceful. ... This could be due to the trauma or nature of the death. Once the decision has been made, the hospital will either prepare the body for donation or will send the body to the medical examiner.

Why postmortem is not done at night?

Postmortem is done within the presence of sunlight because the colour of the injury in tube light, CFL, LED's and other artificial illumination appears to be purple rather than red. ... Another reason is no cremation is performed at night in many religions, so kin of the deceased may not allow postmortem at night.

Do autopsies smell?

After people die, their bodies are brought into the mortuary and kept refrigerated at 4C. They lie naked on a table during the autopsy. In some cases the eyes are open, when they tend to have a yellow hue and a slightly crystalline appearance. ... And decomposed bodies often have a "sweet, cheesy" smell.

Is post mortem mandatory?

As per legal provisions, there is no need to do a postmortem to know the cause of death in most cases.

Why are you buried without shoes?

First is that the bottom half of a coffin is typically closed at a viewing. Therefore, the deceased is really only visible from the waist up. ... Putting shoes on a dead person can also be very difficult. After death, the shape of the feet can become distorted.

How do undertakers dress a dead body?

After embalming, we will dress the body before placing it in a coffin. It depends on the size of the person, but usually two or three people do the dressing. The family usually provide clothing - a favourite outfit or something apt. ... So we dress them and put all the spare clothing around them in the coffin.

How cold is a dead body?

The average living human being has a body temperature of 98.6 degrees F. However when a person dies, their body begins to cool, at a rate of about 1-2 degrees every hour. Eventually, the body's temperature will equal the room's ambient temperature.

How long does it take to find out the cause of death?

The exam usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Many times, experts can figure out the cause of death in that time. But in other cases, you might have to wait until a lab can do more tests to look for signs of drugs, poisons, or disease. That can take several days or weeks.

How long does it take for a body to be released after autopsy?

Some autopsy reports may be completed and ready for release anywhere from four to eight weeks. Others may take longer than eight weeks. In cases where an extended time period is required (more than eight weeks), several variables may be influencing the delay of the final autopsy report.

Can an autopsy be performed on a decomposed body?

But autopsies performed on decomposed or even exhumed bodies can still provide vital new information, depending on the extent of decomposition. Autopsies usually take two to four hours to perform.

What types of death must be investigated?

Although State laws vary in specific requirements, deaths that typically require investigation are those due to unusual or suspicious circumstances, violence (accident, suicide, or homicide), those due to natural disease processes when the death occurred suddenly and without warning, when the decedent was not being ...

What are the 5 types of death?

The classifications are natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, and pending. Only medical examiner's and coroners may use all of the manners of death.

What are the 3 stages of the death investigation process?

The 3 stages of a Death Investigation are Examination, Correlation, and Interpretation. All are equalling important, each stage needs the input of all involved in that stage of the investigation and each may need specialized input.