The Hospital Autopsy: A Manual of Fundamental Autopsy Practice, Third Edition

The autopsy is a central component of postgraduate training in pathology and remains an important part of medical practice today. Pathologists are now expected to possess a higher level of knowledge and understanding of the autopsy, the law surrounding it, and its clinical value, in an increasingly scrutinized and legislated environment. Autopsy practice can no longer be viewed in the absence of external contextual issues: it is vital that pathologists have solid grounding not only in standard technique, but also in such matters as personal health and safety to obtaining informed family consent, before undertaking an autopsy procedure. This new and revised edition of The Hospital Autopsy presents a clear and systematic approach to safe and effective modern autopsy practice. Like the extremely popular second edition, it begins by discussing issues of consent and mortuary design before going on to comprehensively cover external examination, evisceration, dissection of internal organs, and report writing. In this edition, new chapters have been added on the radiological autopsy, religious attitudes to autopsy, and the implications of high-risk infections for autopsy practice. Specialist techniques are covered in depth, and chapters are devoted to complex issues including perinatal autopsies, maternal deaths, and neuropathological examinations. The Hospital Autopsy, Third Edition , is sure to be an indispensable resource for pathologists in training, as well as a useful refresher for practicing pathologists and autopsy technicians.

1. The History of the Autopsy2. The Future of the Autopsy3. The Role of the Autopsy in Medical Education4. Autopsies and the Law5. Religious Attitudes to the Autopsy6. The Safe and Healthy Autopsy7. Autopsy Suite Design and Construction8. The External Examiniation9. The Evisceration10. Routine Autopsy Dissection11. Special Procedures12. Examination of the Nervous System13. Fetal, Perinatal and Infant Autopsies14. The Maternal Autopsy15. Toxicology and Biochemical Analyses16. Microbiology of the Autopsy17. Autopsies of Patients with High-Risk Infections18. Investigating Possible Anaphylactic Deaths19. The Pathology of Wounds20. Perioperative and Postoperative Deaths21. The Radiological Autopsy22. The Unascertained Autopsy23. Clinical Demonstration, Autopsy Report and Teaching24. Reconstruction of the Body25. Autopsies and Clinical Audit