Partial Autopsy ? A Second Thought

One of the objectives of medicolegal autopsy is to find out the cause of death. To fulfill such an objective it is worthy that a detailed and meticulous autopsy procedure is conducted. In conventional practice, each and every body cavity is dissected to find out the presence of any abnormality. Such an extensive autopsy procedure is not without its drawbacks. The autopsy surgeon’s focus should not be restricted only to find out the cause of death. He must also be aware of the sentiments of the bereaved family members and relatives of the deceased. In some of the centers in developing countries the case load is about 15-20 cases per day. Extensive dissection of the body not only causes disfiguration to some extent but also requires a lot of time for proper reconstruction and suturing so that the body is in a sober state before handing it over to the family members. Time constraint is an important factor for the centers with a large case load. The mental agony and pain of the family members waiting to complete the last rights and rituals is beyond any words of explanation.