4. 4
Auto --- Self
Opis --- view / Examination
(self examination)
It may be defined as, The detailed scrutiny of
both external surfaces and internal
contents of dead body after opening its
cavities including further examination,
such as histology, biochemistry and
toxicology of collected material.
AUTOPSY
5. NECROPSY
Necro ---- Dead
Opsy---- examination / to see
(Examination of Dead)
Thanatopsy:
Thantopsy: Thantose means death opsy view or
to see.
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6. AUTOPSY
TYPES:
i. Medical /clinical/ pathological / hospital autopsy.
ii. Anatomical autopsy
iii. Psychological autopsy
iv. Postmortem examination
v. Virtual Autopsy
vi. Medico-legal autopsy
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8. Objectives
1. To determine the cause of death.
2. To confirm or establish the clinical diagnosis
3. To evaluate the effects of treatment given
during life.
Performed by a pathologist with consent of
relatives.
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9. II.ANATOMICAL AUTOPSY
It is performed to study normal structure of human
body.
Mostly on unclaimed dead bodies
Anatomist and medical students perform this.
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10. III. PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY
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It is undertaken on alleged cases of
suicide to know about the mental
status of deceased at the time of
death.
It is perform to know about:
Background of person
His habits ,mental status, personality,
character.
Relation to others
Sources of collection of information
are
Family members, friends, professional
colleagues, teachers and physicians
NOT THE POLICE ..
11. IV.POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION
Examination of external surfaces of corpse by
inspection without giving incision for systemic
examination.
However specimen of body fluids like blood bile
urine may be collected.
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12. V. VIRTUAL AUTOPSY
It is a postmortem examination without
compromising the integrity of the body, even
without collection of sample.
Due to some reason or disease the autopsy of dead
body is not possible then by the help of radiological
examination we can detect the cause of death.
Methods
X-rays, ultrasound, CT scan
MRI.
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14. II. MEDICO-LEGAL AUTOPSY
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It is perform in pursuance of law
to establish the cause and
manner of death and also to
establish or rule out foul play.
15. HISTORY:
The medicolegal autopsy was first time
introduced in 1302 AD in ITALY.
This procedure was carried out by physician
(BARTOLONEO DE VARIGNANA) and
surgeons.
Autopsy Performed by specialists in
developed countries.
In Spain, Germany, Scotland, by two
specialists.
In Pakistan mostly by
Untrained medical officers.
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16. OBJECTIVES OF MEDICOLEGAL AUTOPSY
TO ESTABLISH
1. To determine identity of deceased.
2. To establish cause and manner of death,
3. To establish and rule out foul play.
4. To determine time since death.
5. To identify weapon, person or poison
responsible for death.
6. In case of new born infant to determine
issue of live or still birth and viability.
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17. CORPUS DELICTI
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In a criminal charge of
homicide.
A. Positive identification of
victim
B. Proof of death by criminal
act of accused .
This is collectively termed as
CORPUS DELICTI.
18. It is performed by medicolegal expert but due to
lack of qualified experts, all authorized medical
officer of Govt. can perform it.
It is performed under section 174 CrPC of
Pakistan and police rules 1934 section 25.34 and
25.36
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19. AUTOPSY RATE
AUTOPSY RATE
It is proportion of autopsies carried out on
deaths notified to the authorities.
AUTOPSY INDEX
It is the proportion of medico-legal autopsies
carried out on total deaths in a community.
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20. PRE AUTOPSY FORMALITIES/
PROTOCOL OF AUTOPSY
1. VISIT OF SCENE OF CRIME
2. TRANSPOSITION OF CORPS
3. REGISTRATION OF DEAD BODIES
4. STORAGE OF DEAD BODIES
5. LEGAL FORMALITIES
6. OTHER FORMALITIES
7. PLACE OF PERFORMING AUTOPSY
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21. A. VISIT OF SCENE OF CRIME
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Not done in our country
but in European countries
the autopsy surgeon
visits the scene of crime.
The action done there
are
1. Cordening of scene.
2. Position in relation to
surrounding objects
3. Presence of or position of
weapons, blood
stains, marks of struggle
4. Preservation of foot prints
and other trace
evidence.
5. Photography of scene.
22. B.TRANSPOSITION OF CORPSE
The dead bodies should be transported to mortuary
rapped in plastic bags ,tied on both ends, with all its
belongings
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23. C.REGISTRATION OF DEAD BODIES
On receipt of corp. authorized staff should make
entries in two registers
1. General Register
2. Autopsy Register
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24. COLUMNS OF GENERAL REGISTER ARE
1. Serial numbers
2. Date and time of receipt of corpse
3. Name and ID of diseased
4. Name and No of police officials and his police
station
5. Date and time of delivery of corpse
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25. COLUMNS OF AUTOPSY REGISTER ARE
1. Yearly No.
2. Autopsy No.
3. Name, date and time of autopsy.
4. Details about specimen collected and lab where
sent.
5. Provisional /final conclusion regarding cause of
death.
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26. STORAGE OF DEAD BODIES
There are two types of storage..
Long term at -20 0C [for preservation]
Short term +4 0C[for autopsy purpose]
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27. LEGAL FORMALITIES
SECRUITINY OF POLICE PAPERS
1. Authorization orders /police docket
2. Inquest report
3. The copy of FIR
4. Form ,,,,,(alf. bay. Jeem.)
5. Initial MLC /treatment notes/ hospital notes.
Lab/X-ray/ MRI etc. reports. Any operation notes.
(All papers must be examined & signed).
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29. Examination of police papers
Police docket police request for autopsy or
it is a requisition submitted by the investigating
police officer to a medical officer while handing
over the dead body for a postmortem
examination.
CONTAINS:
FIR
Complete information name, age, sex, height
Number of injuries & location
State of body, State of clothing's
Site of recovery, Sketch of area
Weapon, Apparent cause of death.
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30. INQUEST REPORT
Inquest report is a report which contains
1. Available Hx of the case.
2. Circumstances under which body was found.
3. Opinion of witnesses & the police officer regarding
injuries, manner of their causation, cause of death &
any indication of suspected foul play.
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31. INQUEST REPORT
Three types of printed forms
depending upon apparent manner of death
1. Form A. For those types of deaths which
appear to be natural
2. Form B. For those cases in which death
has occurred due to assault.
3. Form C. For those cases in which death
appears to be due to poisoning
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32. OTHER FORMALITIES
Identification:- The dead body should be identified
prior to autopsy, this is necessary because in a
mortuary where serial autopsies are done chances
of performing autopsy on wrong body do exist.
This can be prevented by appropriate identification.
If known confirm identity by police or by relatives
always take signature of identifiers.
Write name with address, & No of police officer with
police station.
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33. IDENTIFICATION
IF UNKNOWN
1Ask the police to take photographs
2.Note particular of dress worn and tailor tag,
belongings ,facial features, and identification
marks
3.Note the finger print details
Giving an advertisement on newspaper.
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34. INITIAL MLR / TREATMENT NOTES
Where there has been a period of treatment
between an act of violence or between the accident
and death.
Such documents are necessary as to enable the
doctor to concentrate on the organ or the part of
body most suspected & likely to serve as a guide to
retain or send appropriate part to FSL
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35. PLACE OF PERFORMING AUTOPSY
MORTUARY: is a room or a building usually part of the
hospital to which dead bodies are taken to be kept for until
their burial or some other disposal. Autopsy room is that part
of the mortuary where dead bodies are dissected.
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