Autopsy - When Is It Needed? (UK)

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

Right, so one of my characters has died and I need to figure out how soon afterwards the funeral is. However, I know sometimes this sort of thing can be affected by whether or not an autopsy is needed.

So my question is: In which circumstances would an autopsy be needed? I put the location in case it's different in different countries.

Thank you in advance.

mirandashell · Jun 22, 2012

I think we usually call them Post Mortems. And I'm no expert but we definitely have them in case of a death resulting from a crime. It also used to be that a PM would be held when a doctor wouldn't sign a death certificate because he thought something dodgy had gone on. Whether that is still so, I don't know. But I'm sure someone else here will

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

OK, thanks.

The death was because of a crime (unknown by anyone except for the MC who was the sole witness) so... I presume one would be done once the body was found?

mirandashell · Jun 22, 2012

Yeah, definitely.

mirandashell · Jun 22, 2012

I think bodies that get discovered get PM'd anyway so the Coroner can work out if a crime has been committed in the first place.

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

OK, thanks.

I am actually from the UK, I just used the word autopsy cause it was in my head!!

mirandashell · Jun 22, 2012

You've been watching too much CSI!

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

LOL. Possibly!

Buffysquirrel · Jun 22, 2012

A post-mortem is required by law when a death has been referred to a coroner because the cause of death is unknown and/or the death is sudden, violent, unnatural, suspicious or unexpected. So if an elderly person with a known heart condition dies, it's unlikely a PM will be carried out. If a seventeen-year-old footballer with no history of heart disease drops dead in the middle of a match, there'll probably be a PM.

The funeral will be held after the body is released by the coroner.

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

OK, thank you so much!

LJD · Jun 22, 2012

If you are wondering about time frame: We had to wait 2 days for the release of a body following investigation by the coroner. Funeral was still less than a week after the death. Note, however, that it was a fairly straightforward case, and this was not in the UK.

veinglory · Jun 22, 2012

Basically you will get a post mortem when the death is suspicious. As mentioned above, it will take a few days to a week.

Mark Thompson · Jun 22, 2012

Post mortems are required if the deceased has not seen a qualified doctor for at least 24 hours before death. I was so advised after my son died suddenly, even though there were no suspicious circumstances. This will not unduly delay the funeral, although the coroner's hearing (where the cause of death is determined) may not take place for weeks or months. Mark

lisalulu09 · Jun 22, 2012

So much information!! Thank you so much, guys!

Shakesbear · Jun 22, 2012

Funerals can take place ages after death! At least it seems so to me - a friend had to wait for two weeks to bury her father. There were all sorts of 'problems' - getting the priest, crematorium and church yard to synchronize them selves was not easy. The ashes were interred in the church yard after cremation. http://www.facingbereavement.co.uk/organisefuneral.html

jclarkdawe · Jun 22, 2012

In cases where the person died from a homicide, the length of time before the body is released is variable and depends upon a bunch of different factors. Tox testing and organ analysis can take anywhere from weeks to months, depending upon the specific tests and work load of the lab. If the pathologist is going to want to look at the body again after this testing is done, they hold onto the body. If the autopsy result is iffy, or subject to different interpretations by different doctors, they hold onto the body.

If the cause of death is a 9mm to the cranium, then the body is released fairly quickly. But there have been cases where the body is held a year or more in homicide investigations.

Best of luck,

Jim Clark-Dawe

onesecondglance · Jun 23, 2012

Here's a follow-up question the OP might also benefit from - what's the room in which the PM is performed called?

Google says "autopsy room", but if it's not an autopsy, it's a PM, does it just become the "post mortem room"?

mirandashell · Jun 23, 2012

I think it's called the mortuary? Although that maybe just where dead bodies are kept in hospitals.

mirandashell · Jun 23, 2012

I just found this link which looks very useful:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Post-mortem/Pages/Introduction.aspx

onesecondglance · Jun 23, 2012

mirandashell said:
I think it's called the mortuary? Although that maybe just where dead bodies are kept in hospitals.

Yes, that's what it is. As far as I can tell, a morgue or mortuary (the term appears to be interchangeable) is usually a separate room, which may or may not be adjacent to where post-mortem examinations take place.

Your NHS link suggests examination room, which sounds much more appropriate a term than "autopsy room"

mirandashell · Jun 23, 2012

Yeah, that's what I thought. OP, I would go with examination room for that one.

lisalulu09 · Jun 23, 2012

Wow, thanks for all of this extra information! You never know when knowing more than you need to may come in useful.

Autopsy - When Is It Needed? (UK)

lisalulu09

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mirandashell

lisalulu09

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mirandashell

mirandashell

lisalulu09

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mirandashell

lisalulu09

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Buffysquirrel

lisalulu09

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LJD

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Mark Thompson

lisalulu09

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Shakesbear

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jclarkdawe

Feeling lucky, Query?

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake

mirandashell

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onesecondglance

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mirandashell

lisalulu09

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