Your loved one has passed, and you are full of questions. Perhaps you seek peace of mind, or perhaps you suspect that something went wrong. Regardless, you are considering having an autopsy performed.
Unfortunately, the autopsy process is mysterious to most. We hope to be able to take the mystery away from the process and to provide you useful information to help you determine whether you want to have an autopsy performed and, if so, how to obtain one.
We provide information about the cause of death, major diseases and their implications for the living.
Autopsies can help family members learn whether a relative died from an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed illness or disease that may be hereditary.
According to the College of American Pathologists, 40 percent of autopsies performed in the U.S. reveal disease states previously unknown to physicians, in large part because the autopsy employs techniques that cannot be used on the living.
Most of us think of autopsies in relation to homicide cases, but there are other ways in which autopsies can provide evidence for legal action.
For example, if an autopsy determines a death to be the result of work or environmental hazard, it may lead to compensation for the family. If an autopsy reveals evidence of medical malpractice, it may be the grounds for a lawsuit.
Autopsies can also be an important way for families and loved ones to seek reassurance or peace of mind after death.
A complete or full autopsy entails an examination of the entire body such as cervical, thoracic, and organs in the abdomen and the urogenital system.
A limited autopsy is restricted to one system such as heart & lungs when we suspect a Cardio-Vascular Disease as a cause of death.
Brain work-up entails removal, preservation, and complete lab exam by a neuropathologist.
Mesothelioma workup entails a complete exam of the body and multiple biopsies of the tumor. After proper preservation samples will be sent to a Pulmonary Pathologist, an expert in the field of Mesothelioma, who will generate a final report and if necessary, testify in a court.
