What is an autopsy and why is it performed. How does the autopsy procedure work. Can families refuse an autopsy. What happens to tissue samples after an autopsy. How long does it take to get autopsy results.

Understanding Autopsies: Types and Purposes

An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, is a crucial medical procedure performed after a person’s death. It serves various purposes, from determining the cause of death to advancing medical knowledge. There are two primary types of autopsies:

• Coroner’s autopsy
• Hospital autopsy

A coroner’s autopsy is typically conducted when there are legal reasons to investigate the cause of death, such as in cases of suspected foul play or suspicious circumstances. On the other hand, a hospital autopsy is performed with the consent of the immediate family and can provide valuable information about the deceased person’s condition or help clarify the reasons for their passing.

Reasons for Hospital Autopsies

Hospital autopsies serve several important purposes:

1. Clarifying uncertain causes of death
2. Evaluating treatment methods
3. Providing information about potential genetic illnesses
4. Advancing medical research on various diseases and conditions

These examinations contribute significantly to medical science, helping researchers and healthcare professionals better understand disease processes and improve patient care.

The Right to Refuse an Autopsy: What You Need to Know

The rules surrounding the right to refuse an autopsy differ depending on whether it’s a hospital or coronial post-mortem examination.

Hospital Autopsy Refusal

For hospital autopsies, the immediate family has the right to refuse or consent to the procedure. They can also choose to limit the extent of the examination or decide whether organs or samples may be kept for further study. It’s crucial for families to discuss these options with hospital staff to make informed decisions.

Coronial Autopsy Objections

In the case of a coronial autopsy, the senior next of kin may object to the procedure within 48 hours of receiving notification from the coroner. The coroner must consider this request, but if they decide the autopsy is still necessary, the matter can be appealed in the Supreme Court. However, it’s important to note that there is a limited time frame for making these objections.

The Autopsy Procedure: A Step-by-Step Overview

An autopsy is performed similarly to a surgical operation, following a specific set of steps:

1. The procedure is conducted as soon as possible after obtaining family consent.
2. A qualified pathologist, assisted by a technician, performs the autopsy in a room similar to an operating theatre.
3. The body is carefully examined, with photographs and x-rays taken as needed.
4. An incision is made from the collarbone to the lower abdomen to examine internal organs.
5. Tissue samples are collected for microscopic examination and further analysis.
6. The brain is examined, which may require cutting through the scalp and skull.
7. After the examination, organs are replaced, and the incisions are sutured closed.

The entire process can take up to three hours to complete.

Tissue Samples and Organ Retention: What Happens After the Autopsy?

Following an autopsy, tissue samples are typically retained by the laboratory for future reference and potential technological advancements. This retention requires specific consent from the deceased’s next of kin. Organs that have been kept for further testing may be:

• Returned to the family
• Disposed of by the hospital
• Kept for future medical research and training

The family’s wishes guide the decision on how to handle retained organs.

Funeral Arrangements: Navigating Post-Autopsy Considerations

Once the autopsy is complete, the body can be released to the family’s chosen funeral director. However, if organs have been retained for further testing, the funeral may need to be delayed if the family wishes for the body to be whole before burial or cremation. In such cases, embalming can be arranged to preserve the body until all organs are returned.

Autopsy Results: Timeframes and Reports

Families often wonder how long it takes to receive autopsy results. While a preliminary report is typically available within the first few days, the full and detailed report may take longer. The timeline for receiving complete autopsy results can vary depending on several factors:

• Complexity of the case
• Need for additional tests or analyses
• Workload of the pathology department

In some instances, it may take several weeks or even months to receive the final, comprehensive autopsy report.

The Importance of Autopsies in Medical Advancement

Autopsies play a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care. They provide valuable insights into disease processes, treatment efficacy, and genetic conditions. Some of the key contributions of autopsies to medical science include:

• Uncovering previously unknown medical conditions
• Validating or refuting clinical diagnoses
• Identifying emerging diseases or variations of known conditions
• Evaluating the effectiveness of medical interventions
• Contributing to medical education and training

By consenting to an autopsy, families can potentially help countless others by contributing to medical research and understanding.

Autopsies and Public Health

Beyond individual cases, autopsies also serve an important public health function. They can help identify trends in diseases, detect environmental hazards, and contribute to the development of public health policies. For example, autopsies have played a crucial role in understanding and addressing issues such as:

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• The health impacts of environmental pollutants
• The spread and effects of infectious diseases
• Occupational health hazards

This information can lead to improved preventive measures and public health strategies.

Ethical Considerations in Autopsy Practices

While autopsies provide invaluable medical and scientific information, they also raise important ethical considerations. Healthcare providers and pathologists must navigate these issues carefully:

Respect for the Deceased and Family Wishes

Balancing the potential benefits of an autopsy with respect for the deceased and their family’s wishes is paramount. This includes:

• Ensuring clear communication about the autopsy process
• Respecting cultural and religious beliefs regarding death and body handling
• Obtaining informed consent for hospital autopsies
• Handling objections to coronial autopsies with sensitivity

Confidentiality and Privacy

Maintaining the confidentiality of autopsy findings is crucial, especially in cases where the results may have implications for surviving family members or public health. Healthcare providers must carefully balance the need for information sharing with privacy concerns.

Tissue and Organ Retention

The retention of tissues and organs for research or educational purposes requires careful consideration and clear communication with families. Policies should be in place to ensure:

• Transparent consent processes
• Ethical use of retained samples
• Proper disposal or return of samples when no longer needed

By addressing these ethical considerations, the medical community can maintain public trust in autopsy practices while maximizing their scientific and social benefits.

The Future of Autopsies: Technological Advancements

As medical technology continues to advance, the field of autopsy is also evolving. New techniques and technologies are being developed to enhance the information gathered from post-mortem examinations while potentially reducing their invasiveness. Some of these advancements include:

Virtual Autopsies

Also known as virtopsy, this technique uses advanced imaging technologies such as CT and MRI scans to create detailed 3D images of the body without the need for traditional dissection. Virtual autopsies can:

• Provide non-invasive alternatives in cases where traditional autopsies are not possible or desired
• Offer additional insights when used in conjunction with traditional autopsy methods
• Preserve evidence in forensic cases more effectively

Molecular Autopsies

This approach involves genetic testing to identify inherited disorders or genetic predispositions that may have contributed to a person’s death. Molecular autopsies are particularly valuable in cases of:

• Sudden cardiac death in young individuals
• Unexplained deaths where traditional autopsies yield inconclusive results
• Identifying genetic risks in surviving family members

Advanced Imaging Techniques

Ongoing developments in medical imaging are enhancing the ability to detect subtle abnormalities and changes in tissues. These may include:

• High-resolution micro-CT scans
• Advanced MRI techniques
• Spectroscopic imaging methods

These technologies can provide more detailed information about tissue composition and cellular changes, potentially revealing causes of death that might be missed in traditional examinations.

Artificial Intelligence in Autopsy Analysis

AI and machine learning algorithms are being developed to assist pathologists in analyzing autopsy findings. These tools have the potential to:

• Identify patterns and correlations that might be overlooked by human observers
• Streamline the analysis of large datasets from multiple autopsies
• Enhance the accuracy and consistency of autopsy reports

As these technologies continue to develop and integrate into autopsy practices, they promise to enhance our understanding of death and disease processes, ultimately contributing to improved medical care and public health strategies.

Navigating Grief and Understanding: The Role of Autopsies in Closure

While autopsies serve crucial medical and legal purposes, they also play a significant role in helping families cope with loss and find closure. Understanding the causes and circumstances of a loved one’s death can be an important part of the grieving process for many individuals.

Providing Answers and Clarity

Autopsies can offer families:

• Definitive answers about the cause of death
• Closure in cases of unexpected or unexplained deaths
• Information about potential genetic risks for surviving family members
• Validation or correction of clinical diagnoses made before death

This information can help families make sense of their loss and, in some cases, take proactive steps to protect their own health.

Supporting the Grieving Process

The knowledge gained from an autopsy can support the grieving process in several ways:

• Alleviating guilt or uncertainty about medical decisions made during the person’s illness
• Providing a factual basis for understanding the death, which can counteract harmful speculation or misinformation
• Offering a sense of contributing to medical knowledge, which can give meaning to the loss
• Facilitating discussions about health and mortality within families

Challenges and Sensitivities

While autopsies can provide valuable information, the decision to proceed with one can be emotionally challenging for families. Healthcare providers and pathologists should be sensitive to these issues by:

• Providing clear, compassionate communication about the autopsy process and its potential benefits
• Respecting cultural and religious beliefs that may impact the decision to perform an autopsy
• Offering support and resources to help families cope with grief and process the information received from the autopsy
• Ensuring that the dignified treatment of the deceased is maintained throughout the process

By approaching autopsies with sensitivity and understanding, medical professionals can help families navigate this difficult aspect of loss while still obtaining valuable medical and scientific information.

Autopsy – Better Health Channel

Summary

Read the full fact sheet

• An autopsy or post mortem is the medical examination of a body after death.
• A hospital (or non-coronial) autopsy may be performed if the immediate family give their consent.
• A coroner’s autopsy is performed if the coroner or police need information about the cause of death – for example, if the person was murdered or their death was suspicious.

An autopsy, or post mortem, is the medical examination of a body and the internal organs after a person has died. There are two types of autopsy – a coroner’s autopsy and a hospital autopsy.

Coroner’s autopsy

A coroner’s autopsy is performed if the coroner or police need information for legal reasons about the cause of death – for example, if the person was murdered or their death was suspicious.

Hospital autopsy

A hospital (or non-coronial) autopsy may be performed if the immediate family give their consent. In this case, the autopsy can help to clarify the reasons why the person died, or offer information to the medical profession on the deceased person’s condition. Some of the reasons for a hospital autopsy can include:

• In some cases, the cause of the person’s fatal illness may be unknown or uncertain.
• An autopsy can help determine the success (or otherwise) of a treatment method.
• An autopsy can give family members information in the case of suspected genetic illness.
• Medical science can learn about disease processes, such as atherosclerosis or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or the prevalence of particular diseases.

The right to refuse an autopsy

‘Hospital’ and ‘coronial’ post mortems have differing rules around refusal rights.

Hospital autopsy

The immediate family has the right to refuse or agree to a hospital autopsy of the deceased. They may also choose to consent to an autopsy, but limit the extent of the examination. They can also decide whether or not organs or samples taken from the body may be kept for further study. Make sure you discuss these issues with hospital staff.

Coronial autopsy

The senior next of kin may object to the carrying out of a coronial autopsy and the coroner must consider their request to reconsider if the request is made within 48 hours of the senior available next of kin receiving a notification from the coroner.

Where the coroner decides that an autopsy is still required, the matter may be appealed in the Supreme Court. But there is a limited time in which these objections to a coronial autopsy may be made. Provisions about objecting to a coronial autopsy are contained in s26 and s79 of the Coroners Act 2008External Link.

The autopsy procedure

The autopsy is performed like a surgical operation. The steps may include:

• The autopsy is performed as soon as possible following the family’s consent.
• It is performed by a specially qualified doctor, called a pathologist, who is assisted by a technician.
• The room in which the autopsy is performed is very similar to a hospital operating theatre.
• The body is laid out carefully on an examination table.
• The pathologist first looks at the body, noting its appearance.
• Photographs and x-rays may be taken.
• The pathologist makes a cut on the body from the collarbone to the lower abdomen to examine the chest and abdominal organs.
• Tiny tissue samples are taken from each organ for examination under a microscope and may also be sent for chemical analysis or microbiological culture.
• In most cases, the brain is examined. This requires cutting through the scalp and skull. The brain is a very fragile organ – to examine it carefully and properly may take up to three weeks.
• Some organs may need to be kept for up to six weeks so that further tests can be performed in the pathology department.
• After the autopsy, the organs are replaced and the skin is stitched (sutured) closed again as happens after any operation.
• The post mortem can take up to three hours.

Tissue samples from an autopsy

Tissue samples taken from the body are usually kept by the laboratory. The samples are kept in the hope that technological advances may one day answer any remaining questions about the cause of death or the nature of the disease. Keeping tissue samples requires the specific consent of the deceased’s next of kin.

Organs that have been retained for further testing are returned to the family, disposed of by the hospital or kept for future medical research and training of medical staff, according to the family’s wishes.

The funeral

Once the autopsy is complete, the body can be collected by the family’s chosen funeral director. If some of the organs have been retained for further testing, the funeral may need to be delayed for a few days or weeks if the family wants the body to be whole before it is buried or cremated. In this case, the funeral director can arrange to embalm the body.

Autopsy results

A preliminary report is available within the first few days, but the full results of the autopsy are not usually available until around six to 12 weeks later. It may be best to arrange for the report to be sent to the family doctor, so that the next of kin can make an appointment to discuss the findings with their doctor. In other cases, the family could make an appointment with the pathologist.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• Hospital staff
• Pathologist
• State Coroner’s Office Tel. 1300 309 519
• National Coronial Information SystemExternal Link

• The National Code of Ethical Autopsy Practice, Department of Health Victoria.
• Information for next-of-kin regarding non-coronial post mortems, Department of Health Victoria.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved
by:

When and Why Are They Done?

Written by Matt Smith

Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on December 01, 2022

• Coroners and Medical Examiners
• What Happens In an Autopsy?
• When Is One Required?
• When Is It Optional?
• Family Wishes and Faith

An autopsy is a detailed dissection of a deceased person, done to determine why they died.

If you and your family are dealing with the sudden loss of a loved one, you may find comfort in getting answers at this difficult time. But you should also know that autopsies don’t always have to be done. If you do need one, it’s usually both a medical and a legal process.Laws differ state by state.

You can ask for an autopsy if you have questions about how a family member died. And sometimes doctors will ask your permission to do one if they have questions.

Every local government has an official who records deaths. They’re called either a coroner or a medical examiner.

All but a handful of states require medical examiners to be doctors. Coroners may be doctors as well, but don’t have to be.

Coroners are usually elected officials. Many of them have no medical training. When an autopsy needs to be done, they rely on a medical examiner.

A doctor examines the remains inside and out. They can remove internal organs for testing and collect samples of tissue or bodily fluids such as blood.

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.

In 20 states and the District of Columbia, a pathologist — a doctor who specializes in the study of disease and injury — has to do the autopsy.

Once it is finished, the doctor will report an exact cause of death and how they think it happened — whether someone died from natural causes, an accident, homicide or suicide.

Although laws vary, nearly all states call for an autopsy when someone dies in a suspicious, unusual, or unnatural way.

Many states have one done when a person dies without a doctor present. Twenty-seven states require it if the cause of death is suspected to be from a public health threat, such as a fast-spreading disease or tainted food.

A doctor might ask you to allow an autopsy if your loved one died of an unexpected illness.

They’re usually trying to learn more about what happened, either to ease your mind, to learn whether other family members might be in danger of the same thing, or to find out something that might help other patients. 

In some cases, a condition that a person had in life can only be diagnosed after they die. For instance, doctors can learn for certain that someone had Alzheimer’s disease only after they examine the brain in an autopsy. It’s up to the family to decide whether to allow it.

The dead person’s next-of-kin also can ask for an autopsy if there are some concerns about why someone died. In addition to public officials, some private firms do them for a fee.

Some religious traditions discourage autopsies, believing a person’s body should be kept whole or otherwise left alone after death. Or they say burial should not be delayed.

Many states have laws that honor religious objections. Medical examiners sometimes change the way they do an autopsy out of respect for the family’s beliefs. But states still require one when it’s needed to investigate a crime or head off a threat to public health.

Most examinations shouldn’t delay a funeral or prevent a viewing of the body during a service. Funeral directors are usually able to hide any signs of the autopsy with clothing.

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Article 67. Carrying out pathological and anatomical autopsy \ ConsultantPlus

prepared the editorial board of the document with changes that did not enter into force

Article 67. Carrying out pathological and anatomical autopsy 1. Pathological and anatomical autopsy are carried out by doctors of the corresponding specialty in order to obtain data on data about data the cause of death and the diagnosis of the disease.

2. The procedure for conducting pathological and anatomical autopsies is determined by the authorized federal executive body.

3. For religious reasons, if there is a written application of a spouse or close relative (children, parents, adopted children, adoptive parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother), and in their absence, other relatives or a legal representative of the deceased or upon expression of will the deceased himself, made during his lifetime, a pathological-anatomical autopsy is not performed, except in cases:

1) suspicion of violent death;

2) the impossibility of establishing the final clinical diagnosis of the disease that led to death and (or) the immediate cause of death;

3) provision of medical care to a deceased patient by a medical organization in a hospital for less than one day;

4) suspected overdose or intolerance to drugs or diagnostic products;

5) death:

a) associated with preventive, diagnostic, instrumental, anesthetic, resuscitation, therapeutic measures, during or after the operation of blood transfusion and (or) its components;

b) from an infectious disease or if it is suspected;

c) from cancer in the absence of histological verification of the tumor;

d) from a disease associated with the consequences of an environmental disaster;

e) pregnant women, women in childbirth, puerperas (including the last day of the postpartum period) and children under the age of twenty-eight days inclusive;

6) the birth of a dead child;

7) the need for a forensic medical examination.

4. When conducting a pathological-anatomical autopsy, histological, biochemical, microbiological and other necessary methods of examination of individual organs, tissues of the deceased or their parts are an integral part of the diagnostic process in order to identify the causes of death of a person, complications of the underlying disease and concomitant disease, his condition. The will of the deceased, expressed during his lifetime, or a written statement of the spouse, close relative (children, parents, adopted children, adoptive parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandparents), and in their absence, other relatives or the legal representative of the deceased about conducting such research is not required.

5. The conclusion on the cause of death and the diagnosis of the disease is issued to the spouse, close relative (children, parents, adopted children, adoptive parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother), and in their absence to other relatives or the legal representative of the deceased, law enforcement bodies, the body exercising federal state control over the quality and safety of medical activities, and the body exercising federal control over the quality and conditions for the provision of medical care, at their request.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 170-FZ of June 11, 2021)

(see the text in the previous edition)

grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother), and in their absence, other relatives or the legal representative of the deceased are given the right to invite a specialist doctor (with his consent) to participate in the autopsy.

7. The conclusion on the results of a pathological and anatomical autopsy can be appealed in court by a spouse, close relative (children, parents, adopted children, adoptive parents, siblings, grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother), and in their absence by another relative or legal representative of the deceased in the manner prescribed by the legislation of the Russian Federation.

8. Pathological and anatomical autopsy is carried out with respect for the body of a deceased person and maintaining its maximum anatomical shape.

The procedure for conducting pathological and anatomical autopsies

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Nekhaevsky district explains the legislation governing the procedure for conducting pathological and anatomical autopsies.

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Nekhaevsky District explains the legislation governing the procedure for conducting pathological and anatomical autopsies.

In connection with numerous appeals regarding the autopsy of elderly citizens and the possibility of refusing to autopsy corpses, the Nekhaevsky District Prosecutor’s Office is clarifying the current legislation.

Pathological and anatomical autopsies are regulated by Federal Law No. 323-FZ of November 21, 2011 “On the Fundamentals of Protecting the Health of Citizens in the Russian Federation” and Order of the Russian Ministry of Health No. 354n of June 6, 2013 “On the Procedure for Conducting Pathological and Anatomical Autopsies”.

In accordance with Part 1 of Art. 67 of this Law and clause 2 of the Procedure for Conducting Pathological and Anatomical Autopsies, a pathological and anatomical autopsy is carried out by a pathologist in order to obtain data on the cause of death of a person and the diagnosis of the disease.