What is an autopsy? How is it performed? What are the different types of autopsies? Get a detailed summary of the autopsy process and its significance in understanding the cause of death.

Autopsy: The Medical Examination of the Body After Death

An autopsy, also known as a post-mortem examination, is the medical examination of a deceased person’s body and internal organs. This procedure is carried out by a qualified medical professional, typically a pathologist, to determine the cause of death and gain insight into the individual’s medical condition.

Types of Autopsies: Coroner’s Autopsy and Hospital Autopsy

There are two main types of autopsies: a coroner’s autopsy and a hospital autopsy.

Coroner’s Autopsy

A coroner’s autopsy is performed when the coroner or police need information for legal reasons about the cause of death, such as in cases of suspected murder or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Hospital Autopsy

A hospital (or non-coronial) autopsy may be performed if the immediate family gives their consent. This type of autopsy can help clarify the reasons for the person’s death and provide information to the medical profession about the deceased’s condition.

Reasons for Performing an Autopsy

Some of the common reasons for performing an autopsy include:

• Determining the cause of a person’s fatal illness when it is unknown or uncertain
• Evaluating the success or failure of a treatment method
• Providing information to family members in the case of suspected genetic illness
• Advancing medical knowledge about disease processes, such as atherosclerosis or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

The Right to Refuse an Autopsy

The right to refuse an autopsy varies between hospital and coronial autopsies:

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.

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. If 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 can be made.

The Autopsy Procedure

The autopsy is performed in a manner similar to a surgical operation, with the following steps:

1. The autopsy is performed as soon as possible following the family’s consent, by a specially qualified doctor called a pathologist, assisted by a technician.
2. The body is laid out carefully on an examination table, and the pathologist first looks at the body, noting its appearance. Photographs and x-rays may be taken.
3. 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.
4. The brain is usually examined, which requires cutting through the scalp and skull. This can take up to three weeks to complete properly.
5. Some organs may need to be kept for up to six weeks so that further tests can be performed in the pathology department.
6. After the autopsy, the organs are replaced, and the skin is stitched closed again.
7. The entire autopsy procedure can take up to three hours.

Tissue Samples and Organ Retention

Tissue samples taken from the body are usually kept by the laboratory for potential future analysis. 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, according to the family’s wishes.

The Funeral Process

Once the autopsy is complete, the body can be collected by the family’s chosen funeral director. If some 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 on the autopsy findings is available within the first few days, but the full results may take several weeks to complete as the various tests and analyses are conducted.