Basic Autopsy walkthrough

First you need a dead body!

Step 1- External Examination

The body’s identity is confirmed and assigned an identification number, which is written on a toe tag along with their pertinent information. The tag is then tied to the big toe of the corpse.
Every inch of the body is photographed from head to toe. It is photographed in cloths it was wearing when it arrived at the morgue and then the body is undressed and photographed
completely naked.
The body is then weighed on a scale and is also measured for length and then completely X-rayed.
The corpse’s finger prints are taken.
The clothing the deceased was wearing are carefully examined.
Fiber samples from the cloths are taken for later study, any stains on the cloths are noted and examined.
All moles, wounds, tattoos, scars (If any) and other physical anomalies are noted and examined. The cadaver’s fingernails, toenails, skin, and hair are examined and the skin on the arms and legs is carefully checked for syringe marks.
During a medical autopsy of a female, a examination of the external genitalia including pubic hair is performed to determine whether or not there was a rape or sexual assault committed prior to (and/or after) her death.

Step 2 - Toxicology Tests

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Body fluids are withdrawn from the cadaver. These include blood and urine, etc, these fluids are sent off for toxicology testing. These tests determined whether or or not poisons, medications or illegal substances are present in the blood or/and urine. They also look for other abnormalities.

Step 3 The first Incision

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The most common Incision is the “Y” incision. Although there are various types of incisions that medical examiners uses (depending on the case and the circumstances)- we will be concentrating on the Y incision. The examiner makes a huge, full body-length incision that opens up the front of the body. On a male cadaver the incision starts at each shoulder and proceeds on an angle down to the mid-chest, and then joins into a straight line that runs all the way down to the pubis. On a female cadaver the two arms of the Y is cut to curve around and the breasts. This is the most dramatic step of the autopsy, and a lot of people who have never seen an autopsy performed before, are shocked by the dramatic way the body is spread wide open by this incision. During medical surgical procedures the incisions are neat, and relatively clean. An autopsy incision does not need be neat. Also there isn’t the worry of excessive bleeding.

Step 4 Cracking the ribs

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The examiner snaps each individual rib with rib cutters and then cuts through the pleural membrane. The whole rip cage removed to access the organs underneath.

Step 5 removal of the organs

The organs of the upper abdominal cavity-the lungs, heart, oesophagus and the trachea are removed. The examiner then takes out the lower abdominal organs, the liver, spleen, kidneys, adrenals, stomach, and intestines. some of organs will be weighed. In cases of drowning or a suspected poisoning or drug overdose, the contents of the stomach are removed, examined, and analysed. A Slices of each organ are taken and tested.

Step 6 The internal genitalia exam

Both male and female genitalia are internally examined. In the case of the female, they are checked for signs of pregnancy, rape and signs of other sexual abuse. Then the organs of the pelvic region, including the bladder, the uterus, and the ovaries, are removed. Samples of each organ are taken and analysed.

Step 7 Brain exam

A deep incision is made in the skin of the scalp. This incision is called intermastiod and begins behind one ear, runs over the top of the head, and ends behind the opposite ear. The scalp is then pulled forward over the face, baring the skull. Using an electric bone saw, a large wedge of the skull is cut out and removed, exposing the brain. The whole brain is then removed, weighed, and examined.

Step 8 finishing up

When the examination is finished, the pathologist will returns all of the removed internal organs to the body cavities. They don’t have to be neat, The body is then sown up (or not, depending on the examiner) The Autopsy findings are turned over to legal authorities to be used as evidence in a court of law if necessary. And finally a determination is made as to the cause of death, and the death certificate is filled out……

….Then the body is sent to the wood chipper….Just kidding ;)

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