Autopsies

Medical autopsy refers to the sectioning and examination of a corpse for the study of a disease or to discover the cause of death.

Areas of expertise

Autopsy can be particularly useful in cases of sudden death when it gives relatives and doctors a last chance to understand what happened or to rule out a hereditary disease. Autopsy can help relatives provide a sense of closure and grieving by reassuring them that everything has been done to care for the sick person until the end of his or her existence. The autopsy is also an important educational moment for young and experienced physicians.

Medical skills
  • Ascertainment of cause of death, particularly in patients without clinical antecedents;
  • Quality control, through verification of clinical diagnoses;
  • Clinical-pathological meetings for discussion of autopsy findings;
  • Interviews with relatives for discussion of findings, if requested;
  • Medico-legal autopsy: not the responsibility of the medical-pathologist. It is requested by the prosecution and is the responsibility of the medico-legal examiner.
Technical skills
  • Verification of relatives' consent for autopsy examination;
  • Performance of autopsy according to the state of the art;
  • Drawings for toxicological examinations, if requested;
  • Photographic documentation of anatomo-pathological findings;
  • Logistics management.

USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC

Medico-legal autopsies are the responsibility of theCantonal Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bellinzona. Contact the Police or the Public Prosecutor's Office when seeking information.

The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.
The original version is the page in Italian.