What is an autopsy?
An autopsy is a medical examination of the body of a dead person. In the procedure, a doctor cuts open the body and looks at the organs. They take samples and look at them under a microscope. What the doctor finds can answer many questions. Autopsies are done for several reasons:
- To answer questions about a person’s illness
- To tell how and why the person died
- For education and research
- To assist in legal cases
Specially trained doctors, called pathologists, perform autopsies. Pathologists are experts in looking at body tissues and fluids.
Who may request an autopsy?
You can request an autopsy if you are the person’s next of kin or are the legally responsible party. You will need to sign a consent form to give permission for the autopsy. Reasons you may ask for an autopsy include:
- Doctors can’t tell you why the person died.
- The death occurred without warning during medical treatment.
- There could be genetic problems that also puts other family members at risk.
- The cause of death could have an impact on legal matters.
You may limit the autopsy in any manner you wish. For example, you can restrict it to a specific organ or area of the body.
A medical examiner (a doctor who investigates sudden, unexpected, or violent deaths) can order an autopsy without the family’s permission. This can happen if the cause of death is unclear or suspicious.
What is the procedure for an autopsy?
First, the pathologist looks at the outside of the body. They will look for clues about the cause of death. Next, they examine the internal organs. They cut a Y or U shape into the chest and down the abdomen. They look at the organs. They take tissue samples as needed to look at under a microscope. They may remove the organs completely to examine them.
They also may run toxicology or other lab tests. These tests check for drugs or chemicals in the blood, urine, or saliva. When they are finished observing and testing, everything is returned to the body. Then the body is sewn up. Sometimes the organs are kept for teaching and research.
The autopsy takes from 2 to 4 hours. The autopsy room looks similar to an operating room. An atmosphere of dignity and respect for the deceased is always maintained.
When will the results of an autopsy be known?
The first findings from an autopsy are usually ready in 2 to 3 days. The doctor can review these results with you. Detailed studies are then performed on tissue samples. This could take many weeks. A final report is written. The doctor will review this report with you.
What does an autopsy cost?
Autopsies help doctors learn more about illness and ways to improve medical care. For this reason, some are performed without charge. These can include those done at the hospital where the person died. Some teaching hospitals also will do autopsies at no charge, even if the person died somewhere else. But many hospitals do charge for autopsies. Make sure you understand what the charges are before you request the procedure. You do not have to pay for an autopsy if it is required by law.
Some private pathologists offer their services through newspapers, funeral homes, or online. You would also have to pay for their services. It is unknown whether they are as objective and trustworthy as a general hospital or academic medical center.
Things to consider
Some people are afraid an autopsy will interfere with the funeral. This is not the case. The procedure can be completed in just a few hours. Once the autopsy is completed, the hospital tells the funeral home. So it does not delay funeral services. In addition, the incisions are not visible once the body has been embalmed and prepared by the mortician. So you can still have an open casket funeral after an autopsy.
Questions to ask your doctor
- Should my loved one have an autopsy?
- What will the pathologist look for?
- How long will it take to get the results?
- Will it disfigure my loved one?
- Who do I contact if I want to donate his or her organs to science?
Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
FAQs
Both terms essentially mean "examination after death." Why is the tongue removed during autopsy? The tongue is removed during autopsy to thoroughly examine the oral cavity, access other throat structures, document any abnormalities, take tissue samples for further examination, and eliminate obstruction.
What body part is always removed during autopsy? ›
He explained: "I remove your tongue during an autopsy – we need to make sure you didn't bite down on it, make sure you don't have drugs in the back of your throat. "So if you have a tongue ring, that one comes out, but nipples, nose, ears, eyebrows, private parts..."
Who pays for an autopsy when someone dies? ›
4: They're Not Cheap. Who pays for an autopsy? Generally, the operation is financed by the party that's demanding or requesting it. If somebody dies under suspicious circ*mstances, a state or county may call for a forensic autopsy.
Can a coroner refuse to do an autopsy? ›
In some situations, despite a written request, the coroner may still refuse to perform an autopsy. In such cases, the family has only one remaining option – arranging a private autopsy. A private autopsy is performed by a private forensic pathologist who is not affiliated with any coroner's office.
What is the purge in the mouth after death? ›
Purge is decomposition fluid that is commonly found in the mouth and nares of a decedent. It is important to become familiar with the differences between purge and blood, because many lay people will see the dark fluid and assume it is blood from a traumatic event.
What are the manners of death in an autopsy? ›
The classifications are natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, and pending. Only medical examiner's and coroners may use all of the manners of death. Other certifiers must use natural or refer the death to the medical examiner.
What do funeral homes do with the blood from dead bodies? ›
Sometimes dyes are added, too. What happens to the blood and other fluid removed from the body? It is flushed down the drain! Yes, it enters the sewage system and is treated by the wastewater treatment system in whatever town you are in.
Do morticians empty the bowels? ›
It depends on the amount of time a body has been deceased. The bowels should stay in tack for the most part for 24 hours. If there is a circ*mstance which there are many bodies and they are not removed within a safe amount of time.
Which two organs are not weighed during an autopsy? ›
All organs, except for the intestines and stomach are weighed.
Can a family member demand an autopsy? ›
Any family member or close friend of the deceased may ask for an autopsy, but the autopsy must be properly authorized. Additionally, some autopsy examinations are required by law because they fall under the jurisdiction of a coroner, justice of the peace, or medical examiner.
The intestines and stomach are not weighed during an autopsy because their weight can be highly variable due to body tissue mass, ingesta, and water content, making the data unreliable for a true reflection of health or diet before death.
Which situation is most likely to warrant an autopsy? ›
Under What Circ*mstances Will an Autopsy be Performed?
- The death is known or suspected to have been caused by apparent criminal violence.
- The death is unexpected and unexplained in an infant or child.
- The death is associated with police action.
Certain religions have objections to autopsy (eg, Islam, Judaism) in that bodily intrusion violates the sanctity of keeping the human body complete, despite those religious doctrines not strictly forbidding it. Instead, it is a matter of interpretation of these doctrines that have changed over time.
Can you have an open casket after an autopsy? ›
Is an open casket viewing possible after an autopsy has been completed? Our procedures do not typically limit the ability to have an open casket viewing. Your funeral service provider will be able to provide the best information about the ability to view once they have received and prepared the body.
Why do they remove the tongue? ›
Glossectomy is a term used to describe a variety of procedures resulting in the surgical extirpation of part, or all, of the tongue. Glossectomy is most commonly performed for the treatment of malignant and premalignant lesions of the oral tongue.
What happens if someone's tongue is removed? ›
A total glossectomy is the complete removal of the tongue. Reconstructive surgery is needed to allow for swallowing and speaking. Without reconstructive surgery, the patient won't be able to swallow without getting food or liquid into their lungs (aspiration).
What happens to the tongue near death? ›
While a healthy individual takes roughly 20 breaths a minute, someone near the very end of life may take only 1–3 breaths a minute. The act of breathing itself can take a lot of energy. It is common for people at this stage to breathe through the mouth. This can cause the mouth and tongue to dry out.
Why does the tongue come out after death? ›
The increase in tongue protrusion with advancing state of decomposition can be explained by gas formation in early decomposition which would increase as decomposition advances forcing the tongue to protrude. In the stage of decomposition, autolysis will have led to the relaxation of rigor.
