AUTOPSY/ MORTUARY

SERVICES
Definition

 The term "autopsy" derives from the Greek for "to see for oneself".
 An autopsy is a surgical procedure that entails an invasive examination
in order to determine the cause and manner of death.
There are three main types of
autopsies:

 Forensic: This is done for medical-legal purposes

 Clinical/academic: This is usually performed in hospitals to for
research and study purposes.
 Coroner's: this type of autopsy encompasses cases where no medical
cause of death is readily available
Mortuary

 A morgue or mortuary is a building or room (as in a hospital) used for the

storage of human remains.
MORGUE -is predominantly used in American English,
MORTUARY- is more common in British English. (Mortuary is also often
synonymous with funeral home in American English.)
Mortuary

 Its helpful in learning the unusual cause.

 It’s a research center.
 Quality of medical care can be estimated through medical audits.
 Teaching medical and paramedical staff.
 A place where emotions are at the peak in relation to the relatives
Location

 It should have the different entry and/or exit.

 Should be located at the ground floor.
 Should be at the protected area a little away or behind the hospital.
 The area should be fenced so as to avoid the stray dogs and the cats.
LAYOUT
Department size

 Depends upon whether it’s a teaching hospital or non teaching hospital.

 Depends on death per bed per year.
 Equipment for mortuary services in
major disasters
 Platform ladder for the police photographer.
 Stainless steel postmortem tables or heavy-duty
trestle tables covered with plastic sheeting.
 Wheeled trolleys for transporting bodies within
the mortuary.
 Accident and emergency trolleys that
incorporate an X-ray grid.
 Mortuary hoist or small fork-lift truck.
 Trestle tables and chairs for administrative
areas.
 Wall charts to record progress, or large poster
boards if there are no walls.
 Tarpaulin or plastic sheeting for the floor, if it is
not made of concrete.
 Heavy-gauge black plastic sheeting for
temporary screens.
 Refuse bins and bags.
 Cleaning materials—mops, buckets,
cloths, soap, towels.
 Disinfectant and deodorizer.
 Protective clothing and heavy-duty
rubber gloves.
 Office equipment, including fax,
typewriter, computer.
 Property bags and labels.
 Body bags and labels.
 Specialized equipment to be furnished
by the pathologist, odontologist,
radiographer, etc., as required
Cold storage

Racks for dead bodies.

Cold storage arrangement
Temperature below 4 degree celcius is need to preserve the body.
There are two types of morgue cold chambers:
 Positive temperature 36/39°F (+2/+4°C): This is the most common type,
used for keeping the bodies a few days or weeks. Decompostion of the
corpse continues at a reduced rate.
 Negative temperature -5/-13°F (-15°C/-25°C): This is used by forensic
institutes for the storage of bodies that have not yet been identified. The
body is completely frozen, halting decomposition
The postmortum room

 It should have sufficient light

 Should have the maximun ventilation
 Room temperature should be less than 40 degree cel.
 It should have the proper drainage system two drainage board with two
large sinks depending upon the size of the hospital
 The floor should be easily washable and should be stain proof
 It should have the windows which should be totally covered by the net
 It is very necessary to have a clean surrounding
 Electricity should be available around the clock
Medical officer room

 It should have proper place available for the consultation

 Should have the basic facilities
Medical record room

 To keep records of post mortems, autopsy examination ,and all medico-legal

cases
 Dead stock register of equipment and supplies
 Incoming and outgoing register should always be maintained
 Signature of the responsible person should be taken while the time of hand
over the body
 Medico-legal register for medico-legal post mortem
Preserving room

 All viscera required to be stored in the hospital should be

preserved in proper container in steel cupboards
 The cupboards should be locked and sealed
laboratory

 It should be near the pm room so as to provide essential lab test to get

the right report early
 It should be clean and well ventilated.
Other

 A dressing room for bodies

 A room for morgue attendant with toilet and bathroom
 A waiting area for the relatives
 A room for the police-equipped with telephone
 Room for clerk .
 Temple
MORTUARY TEAM
ORGANISATION CHART
The sub-committee report (Bureau of Police Research and
Development of 1975) laid down the following staffing pattern
and this has been accepted in principle by the government.

I. For initial 100 autopsies per year

i) Specialists-Two (as one specialist is likely to be busy in other important work,
teaching work, in court attendance, or if he falls sick, it is necessary to have two
specialists).
ii) Post mortem technician-One.
iii) Post mortem Assistant- One.
iv) Clerk/Steno-One.
v) Chowkidar- One.
vi) Peon- One
vii) Sweeper/Morgue attendants-4 (Three sweepers for shift duty round the clock
and one as a reliever).
II .For every additional 100 autopsies per year, following additional staff is
required:
i) Specialist- One.
ii) Post mortem assistant - One.
iii) Technician- One (for teaching institutions).
iv) Technical assistant- (300-500 autopsies/yr)-One,(>500 autopsies/yr)-Two.
v) Photographer - One.
vi) Dark room attendant- One (on big centers, personnel for photographic work
ROLE OF PROFESSOR AND
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
ADMINISTRATION

CLINICAL SERVICES RESEARCH

EDUCATION
ROLE OF CORONOER IN
AUTOPSY SERVIECES
HOW IT WORKS

 THE coroner is a magistrate. Under the Coroner's Act, when a death is

reported, the coroner's job is to find out:
 ■ The identity of the deceased.
■ How death occurred.
■ The cause of death.
■ The particulars needed to register the death.
 As per the laws existing there are 3 types of inquests (Legal
investigation into the cause and manners of death) carried out
in the country:
 1. Coroner’s inquest;
 2. Police inquest; and
 3. Magistrate’s inquest.
The inquest is carried out in cases of:

■ Dies unexpectedly.
■ Dies from an accident or injury.
■ Dies in a violent or unnatural way.
■ Dies during or as a result of an anaesthesia .
■ Was "held in care" immediately before death.
SERVICE FACILITIES AT
HOSPITAL

 Majority of the Forensic Medicine department in medical colleges

provide service facilities in forensic pathology and clinical forensic
medicine only.
CRIMINALISTICS SERVICES

 While, the services in

toxicology, serology, and pure
criminalistics are largely
provided by state forensic
science laboratories working
under home/police
department, which can be
utilized only through police or
court and not directly by legal
medicine experts or public