Why might a doctor perform an autopsy on a dead body?

Autopsies may be done for several reasons, including the following: When a suspicious or unexpected death occurs. When there’s a public health concern, such as an outbreak with an undetermined cause. When no doctor knows the deceased well enough to state a cause of death and to sign the death certificate.

Which type of autopsy is performed to investigate the cause of death?

A medicolegal (forensic) autopsy is ordered by the coroner or medical examiner as authorized by law with the statutory purpose of establishing the cause of death and answer other medicolegal questions.

How long does a postmortem take?

What happens during a post-mortem. A post-mortem will be carried out as soon as possible, usually within 2 to 3 working days of a person’s death. In some cases, it may be possible for it to take place within 24 hours.

Can I refuse a post mortem?

If a post mortem is requested by the hospital, written consent must first be obtained either directly from the patient before death, or from the deceased’s next of kin. The patient or the next of kin can refuse consent for a hospital post mortem and it cannot be carried out if consent is withheld.

What is a post mortem and who carries out them?

Post-mortems are carried out by pathologists (doctors who specialise in understanding the nature and causes of disease). The Royal College of Pathologists and the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) set the standards pathologists work to.

How do I get the results of a post-mortem?

If the post-mortem was requested by a hospital doctor, you’ll have to request the results from the hospital where the post-mortem took place. You may be charged a small fee for this. You can arrange to discuss the results with the doctor in charge of the deceased person’s care while they were in hospital (if applicable), or with your GP.

What is the difference between autocomplete and post-mortem examination?

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. A post-mortem examination, also known as an autopsy, is the examination of a body after death. The aim of a post-mortem is to determine the cause of death.

How do I find out the cause of death after death?

If the post-mortem was requested by the coroner, the coroner or coroner’s officer will let you know the cause of death determined by the pathologist. If you want a full copy of the pathologist’s report, you can request this from the coroner’s office, but there may be a fee.