autopsy

Autopsy

Dissection and examination of a dead body to determine the cause of death.

Clinical or Pathological Autopsy

Executed to diagnose a particular disease or for research purposes.

Anatomical or Academic Autopsy

A type of autopsy performed primarily for educational purposes.

Gold Standard

The confirmation of medical disease through autopsy findings.

Routine Hospital Autopsy

To identify or characterize the extent of disease states that the person may have had.

Medico-Legal Autopsy

Done in the NBI or other government institution for the purpose of prosecution.

Forensic Autopsy

Autopsy request involved in the examination of the whole body from the head to foot for complete diagnosis and investigation.

Y-Shaped Incision

A type of incision used in Medico-Legal Autopsy or Coroner's Autopsies.

Diener

An autopsy technician who assists in the autopsy procedure.

Coroner

A medico-legal professional who may request an autopsy.

Partial Autopsy

An autopsy request that involves only the examination of a region or regions of the body.

Complete Autopsy

An autopsy that involves a thorough examination of the entire body.

External Examination

The initial assessment of the deceased's body before internal examination.

Pathological Processes

The biological mechanisms that lead to the death of the person.

Accidental Deaths

Deaths resulting from events such as vehicle crashes or drug overdoses.

Occupational Hazards

Deaths related to risks associated with one's job or work environment.

Environmental Hazards

Deaths related to risks posed by the environment.

Findings from Forensic Autopsy

Can be used in court as evidence in criminal cases, civil lawsuits, or insurance claims.

Standard of Care Assessment

Clinical autopsies are sometimes performed to assess the quality of medical treatment received.

Permission for Autopsy

Autopsies are usually performed when a person has given permission in advance to their death.

Unexpected Death

Death that occurs suddenly and without warning, often requiring a forensic autopsy.

Suspicious Death

Death that raises questions about the circumstances surrounding it, often leading to a forensic autopsy.

Suspected homicide or suicide

A classification for cases where death may be due to intentional harm.

Cadaver incision

The cadaver is open from both shoulder regions down to the xiphoid area, and then incised down to the pubis.

Straight cut incision

Technique of M. Letulle involving the en masse removal of all the viscera.

Restricted autopsy

The cadaver is open from the midline of the body from suprasternal notch down to the pubis, commonly done in children and infants.

Somatic death

Characterized by the discontinuance of cardiac activity and respiration that leads to death of all body cells from lack of oxygen.

Cellular death

Occurs after somatic death and may lead to nuclear changes and necrosis.

Medical autopsy

Performed by a pathologist at the hospital.

Coroner's role

Investigates all natural deaths occurring in the hospital within 24 hours of admission unless attended by a private physician within 36 hours of death.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that does not grow back.

Necrobiosis

Refers to physiological cell death.

Consent for autopsy

In order of preference, however presence of a Court Order overrules all consents.

Fat necrosis

A specialized necrosis of fat tissue, resulting from the action of activated lipases on fatty tissues such as the pancreas and breast.

Liquefaction necrosis

A rapid total enzymatic dissolution of cells leading to pus formation.

Coagulative necrosis

A type of necrosis characterized by the preservation of tissue architecture.

Autopsy techniques

Methods used to conduct an autopsy, including the technique of Virchow.

Technique of Virchow

Characterized by the formation of a gelatinous substance in dead tissues, maintaining tissue architecture observable by light microscopy.

Mutilation

Refers to the act of inflicting serious damage or injury to the body.

Conspiracy

An agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime at some time in the future.

Surgical wounds

Injuries resulting from surgical procedures.

Needle autopsy

A method of autopsy that involves the use of a needle to extract tissue samples.

GANGRENOUS NECROSIS

A massive death of tissue combined caused by ischemia and putrefaction.

TECHNIQUE OF ROKITANSKY

Involves organ-by-organ removal.

CASEOUS NECROSIS

The formation of soft, friable cheesy masses on the necrotic tissue usually observed in syphilis, tularemia, lymphogranuloma inguinale, and TB.

TECHNIQUE OF GHON

An in-situ examination of viscera with removal of notable organs.

LIVOR MORTIS

Purplish discoloration of skin in dependent portions of the body, due to stasis and eventual settling down of blood into vessels.

ECCHYMOSIS

Oozing of blood upon incision when pressure is applied and disappears when pressure is removed.

KARYORRHEXIS

Fragmentation of the shriveled nucleus into nuclear dust.

KARYOLYSIS

Which simply means that nothing of the nucleus is visible any longer, except perhaps a purple haze.

PYKNOSIS

Is a shriveling and darkening of the nucleus attributed to very low pH.

POST MORTEM CLOT

Characterized as friable, usually granular, not readily detachable.

ANTEMORTEM CLOT

Characterized as portions of clot assume tangled, irregular fashion.

PRIMARY SIGNS/CHANGES

Characterized by circulatory failure, respiratory failure, and nervous failure.

SECONDARY SIGNS/CHANGES

Occurs before death.

CIRCULATORY FAILURE

Evidenced by absence of pulse rate and heartbeat.

RESPIRATORY FAILURE

Leads to death due to the absence of oxygen and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.

NERVOUS FAILURE

Causing loss of coordination of various body functions, characterized chiefly by the loss of reflexes.

DESICCATION

Drying and wrinkling of the cornea and anterior chamber of eye due to absorption of the aqueous humor.

PUTREFACTION

Production of foul-smelling gases due to invasion of the tissue by saprophytic organisms.

AUTOLYSIS

Self-digestion of cells.

ALGOR MORTIS (COOLING OF DEATH)

Cooling of the body to match the environment, occurs at a definite rate of about 7F per hour.

RIGOR MORTIS (STIFFNESS OF DEATH)

Refers to the rigidity or stiffening of the muscles, occurs about 6 - 12 hours after death and persists for 3 - 4 days.

CERTIFICATE OF DEATH (MUNICIPAL FORM NO. 103)

In January 1993, the color of death certificate is Blue; in January 2007, the color is White; fetal death cert is Pink.