Why is this procedure done?
- Find out the cause of death
- Find out about any disease or injury that your loved one had
- Point out diseases that may also affect other members of the family
- You can ask for an autopsy if you are the next-of-kin or the guardian.
- If the person is not able to be identified in any other way.
- If the death is unexpected, suspicious, or involves a crime, the law may require an autopsy to be done.
What will the results be?
Some results will be ready shortly after the procedure. Special lab tests may take up to a few months to be reported. ‚
What happens before the procedure?
- Consent for the procedure may be needed from a family member.
- Talk with your loved ones doctor about any questions or concerns you have.
What happens during the procedure?
- Your loved ones body will be handled with great care.
- The doctor starts the procedure by carefully looking at the outside of your loved one's body.
- The doctor makes a cut in the skin to look at the inside of your loved one's body. This lets the doctor to check organs such as the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys. Tissue and blood samples will be taken for lab tests. After the exam is done, the organs will be put back into place and the cut will be sewn closed.
- The procedure may take a few hours.
What happens after the procedure?
Your loved ones body will be released to the funeral home. An autopsy will not hold up or change any funeral plans. ‚
Where can I learn more?
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/healthcare-management/end-of-life-issues/autopsy.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚