An autopsy is a medical procedure performed after death to determine the cause and manner of death. It involves a thorough external and internal examination of the body by a pathologist. There are two main types - forensic autopsies which are performed when the cause of death may be criminal, and clinical autopsies which are typically performed in hospitals by order of the attending physician. The autopsy procedure involves an external examination of the body, followed by an internal examination where the chest is opened and organs are removed and examined. Samples may also be taken for analysis. The body is then reconstructed and prepared for burial or cremation. Autopsies provide valuable medical information and help ensure quality of care.

1. autopsy
An autopsy a medical procedureconsisting of
athorough examination of a corpseto determine
the causeand manner of death. An autopsy will can
also evaluate any diseaseor injury that may be
present. Itis usually performed by a specialized
medical doctor called a pathologist, who is typically
a medical physician, who studies the effects of
diseases, medical treatment and injury to the body.
A forensic pathologist typically performs autopsies
in a death investigation. They specialize in using
autopsy studies to establish a legally admissible
manner of death in the courtof law. Autopsies can
also be performer by individuals including medical
examiners, who are typically medical pathologists
and physicians, and by coroners, who arenot
necessarily physicians.
There are two types of autopsies - forensic or
clinical. A forensic autopsy is carried out when the
causeof death may be a criminal matter and is
often done to aide in a police investigation when
the causeof death is suspicious. A clinical autopsy is
typically carried out in a hospital by a pathologist
and order by the attending physician of a patient to
determine the cause of death for research or study
purposes.
typical causes of death
 Natural causes
 Accident
 Homicide
 suicide

2. autopsy performed
 An autopsy is performed in the event or a
suspicious death
 An autopsy is typically ordered in the event of
a public health concern, such as an unknown
disease.
 An autopsy can be performed if someonedies
unattended by a physician or if a physician is
uncomfortablesigning a death certificate.
 An autopsy can be performed if requested by
the next of kin or legally responsibleparty of
the decedent.
Autopsy Works
The word "autopsy" is derived from ancient Greek, autopsia, which means "to see
for oneself." In many ancient civilizations, autopsies were considered sacrilegous,
as disfiguring the dead might prevent them from going into the afterlife. There are
two types of autopsy: forensic and clinical. Forensic autopsies are done to define
the cause and manner of death, and are often done to serve legal issues: in the U.S.,
deaths are classified as either natural, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, or
undetermined. Clinical autopsies, on the other hand, are performed in order to
provide scientists with greater information about pathology and also to keep a
check on hospital care and ensure doctors are providing the best services they
possibly can. Autopsies are done by forensic pathologists physicians trained in
examining corpses also considered medical examiners.Though it may seem like a
morbid job, autopsies actually provided the field of science and medicine with
plenty of answers about illness, pathology, and death: only by opening up and
studying the body could scientists see the effects of illness and discoverhow to
better treat it. Before starting an autopsy, the medical examiners get as much
information as they possibly can about the background of the person including
medical records, statements from doctors and family members, as well as the

3. location, circumstances, and people involved with their death. Having this
information can help them piece together what exactly happened. Then they delve
into a several step process, viewing the bodyat nearly every angle possible to help
create a whole picture. During this time, the examiners take notes and record things
in order to keep track of what they’re seeing.
External Exam
First, investigators inspect the outside of the body this assists in identifying the
personthen check weight and measurements of the body. They examine what
might often be seen as the “superficial” qualities of a person their eye and hair
color, as well as the clothes they were wearing. This is also the point in time when
the examiners look at the person’s skin, searching for gunpowder residue, or
scratches or bruises.
Internal Exam
Then comes the messy part. During the internal examination, the investigators cut
open the chest then remove and dissectthe organs inside, and sometimes the brain
as well. The bodyis placed on a rubber block to arch it and openup the chest,order
for the examiner to make a Y-shaped incision. But this process isn’t as messy as it
may seem because the heart isn’t pushing blood through veins, the body can’t
exactly “bleed” when cut only gravity creates pressure on blood. Using a rib cutter
to remove the rib cage, the medical examiner then removes the intestines and the
rest of the organs. These organs are often played in formalin for days before
dissection, because this keeps them preserved and firms them up allowing for more
precise incisions.
In addition to examining all of the organs, tissue samples and bodily fluids, like
blood, urine, bile, or vitreous gel found in the eyes, are also analyzed. This helps
the medical examiners determine whether the person had been a drug user or had
infections, among other things.
Putting The Body Back Together
Sometimes, the brain or other organs need to be preserved for later use and to find
more answers. Otherwise, most organs are placed back into the bodyor cremated,
depending on the law and/or family’s wishes. The bodyis then lined with cotton
wool or another material and sewn shut, washed, and prepared for the funeral.

4. Though seemingly unpleasant, autopsies have assisted researchers in better
understanding how illnesses affect the body.
Introduction
Polytrauma, defined as a trauma pattern with an Injury Severity Score(ISS)16
points and consisting of various injuries of which at least one is life-
threatening, is associated with a mortality rate up to 23% .Severe injury is the
leading cause of death among children, adolescents, and young adults (ages
1-44), and represents the third most common cause of death for all ages in
the western countries, after cardiovascular diseases and cancer . Frequent
causes of death in trauma fatalities are at first injuries to the central nervous
system (40-50%), followed by hemorrhage (20-40%) and multiple organ
failure (MOF), accounting for a further 2-10%. In the last decades, numerous
clinical implementations, scoring systems and guidelines for improving quality
of treatment in polytrauma patients such as the Advanced Trauma Life
Support (ATLS)-Program have been set up In cases of trauma death, review
of autopsy data is also used as part of the trauma quality assurance (QA)
process, and autopsy rates are queried by the American College of Surgeons
Committee on Trauma in their reviews . Generally, autopsy assessment to in-
and out-of-hospital fatalities is a valuable contributor to medical education
and current literature supports the concept that autopsies are useful in
uncovering a potentially missed diagnosis in trauma patients . Especially in
death after trauma, autopsy data can provide sufficient data to assist in
determining the presence of missed injuries contributory to death and also
confirming the clinical cause of death. However, recent studies focusing on
causes of death after injury are with few exceptions solely based on clinical
records . information no major or minor discrepancies, that may have altered
the patient's therapy or survival time in terms of preventable death or missed
injuries