Autopsy: Difference between revisions

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In health care, an [[autopsy]] is a "postmortem examination of the body."<ref>{{MeSH|term}}</ref>
In health care, an [[autopsy]] is a "postmortem examination of the body."<ref>{{MeSH|term}}</ref> The procedure may be also called a '''necropsy''', especially in [[veterinary medicine]].
{{Image|Normal formalin-perfused lung obtained at autopsy.png|right|350px|A [[formalin]]-[[perfused]] human [[lung]] obtained at autopsy, showing [[anthracosis]] of [[hilar]] [[lymph node]]s but otherwise normal appearance.}} The equivalent procedure is called a '''necropsy''' in [[veterinary medicine]].


{{Image|Normal formalin-perfused lung obtained at autopsy.png|right|350px|A [[formalin]]-[[perfused]] human [[lung]] obtained at autopsy, showing [[anthracosis]] of [[hilar]] [[lymph node]]s but otherwise normal appearance.}}
==Benefits==
==Benefits==
Analysis of a large number of autopsies can provide insight into lethal diseases that are difficult to diagnose.<ref name="pmid6835306">{{cite journal |author=Goldman L, Sayson R, Robbins S, Cohn LH, Bettmann M, Weisberg M |title=The value of the autopsy in three medical eras |journal=N. Engl. J. Med. |volume=308 |issue=17 |pages=1000–5 |year=1983 |pmid=6835306 |doi=}}</ref><ref name="pmid12783916">{{cite journal |author=Shojania KG, Burton EC, McDonald KM, Goldman L |title=Changes in rates of autopsy-detected diagnostic errors over time: a systematic review |journal=JAMA |volume=289 |issue=21 |pages=2849–56 |year=2003 |pmid=12783916 |doi=10.1001/jama.289.21.2849}}</ref><ref name="pmid10885353">{{cite journal |author=Sonderegger-Iseli K, Burger S, Muntwyler J, Salomon F |title=Diagnostic errors in three medical eras: a necropsy study |journal=Lancet |volume=355 |issue=9220 |pages=2027–31 |year=2000 |pmid=10885353 |doi=}}</ref> For example, a study of autopsies among patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care, an concluded about overlooked diagnoses "abdominal pathologic conditions--abscesses, bowel perforations, or infarction--were as frequent as pulmonary emboli as a cause of class I errors. While patients with abdominal pathologic conditions generally complained of abdominal pain, results of examination of the abdomen were considered unremarkable in most patients, and the symptom was not pursued." <ref name="pmid1992186">{{cite journal |author=Papadakis MA, Mangione CM, Lee KK, Kristof M |title=Treatable abdominal pathologic conditions and unsuspected malignant neoplasms at autopsy in veterans who received mechanical ventilation |journal=JAMA |volume=265 |issue=7 |pages=885–7 |year=1991 |pmid=1992186 |doi=}}</ref>
Analysis of a large number of autopsies can provide insight into lethal diseases that are difficult to diagnose.<ref name="pmid6835306">{{cite journal |author=Goldman L, Sayson R, Robbins S, Cohn LH, Bettmann M, Weisberg M |title=The value of the autopsy in three medical eras |journal=N. Engl. J. Med. |volume=308 |issue=17 |pages=1000–5 |year=1983 |pmid=6835306 |doi=}}</ref><ref name="pmid12783916">{{cite journal |author=Shojania KG, Burton EC, McDonald KM, Goldman L |title=Changes in rates of autopsy-detected diagnostic errors over time: a systematic review |journal=JAMA |volume=289 |issue=21 |pages=2849–56 |year=2003 |pmid=12783916 |doi=10.1001/jama.289.21.2849}}</ref><ref name="pmid10885353">{{cite journal |author=Sonderegger-Iseli K, Burger S, Muntwyler J, Salomon F |title=Diagnostic errors in three medical eras: a necropsy study |journal=Lancet |volume=355 |issue=9220 |pages=2027–31 |year=2000 |pmid=10885353 |doi=}}</ref> For example, a study of autopsies among patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care, an concluded about overlooked diagnoses "abdominal pathologic conditions--abscesses, bowel perforations, or infarction--were as frequent as pulmonary emboli as a cause of class I errors. While patients with abdominal pathologic conditions generally complained of abdominal pain, results of examination of the abdomen were considered unremarkable in most patients, and the symptom was not pursued." <ref name="pmid1992186">{{cite journal |author=Papadakis MA, Mangione CM, Lee KK, Kristof M |title=Treatable abdominal pathologic conditions and unsuspected malignant neoplasms at autopsy in veterans who received mechanical ventilation |journal=JAMA |volume=265 |issue=7 |pages=885–7 |year=1991 |pmid=1992186 |doi=}}</ref>

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In health care, an autopsy is a "postmortem examination of the body."[1] The procedure may be also called a necropsy, especially in veterinary medicine.

(CC) Photo: Yale Rosen
A formalin-perfused human lung obtained at autopsy, showing anthracosis of hilar lymph nodes but otherwise normal appearance.

Benefits

Analysis of a large number of autopsies can provide insight into lethal diseases that are difficult to diagnose.[2][3][4] For example, a study of autopsies among patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care, an concluded about overlooked diagnoses "abdominal pathologic conditions--abscesses, bowel perforations, or infarction--were as frequent as pulmonary emboli as a cause of class I errors. While patients with abdominal pathologic conditions generally complained of abdominal pain, results of examination of the abdomen were considered unremarkable in most patients, and the symptom was not pursued." [5]

References

  1. Anonymous (2024), term (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  2. Goldman L, Sayson R, Robbins S, Cohn LH, Bettmann M, Weisberg M (1983). "The value of the autopsy in three medical eras". N. Engl. J. Med. 308 (17): 1000–5. PMID 6835306[e]
  3. Shojania KG, Burton EC, McDonald KM, Goldman L (2003). "Changes in rates of autopsy-detected diagnostic errors over time: a systematic review". JAMA 289 (21): 2849–56. DOI:10.1001/jama.289.21.2849. PMID 12783916. Research Blogging.
  4. Sonderegger-Iseli K, Burger S, Muntwyler J, Salomon F (2000). "Diagnostic errors in three medical eras: a necropsy study". Lancet 355 (9220): 2027–31. PMID 10885353[e]
  5. Papadakis MA, Mangione CM, Lee KK, Kristof M (1991). "Treatable abdominal pathologic conditions and unsuspected malignant neoplasms at autopsy in veterans who received mechanical ventilation". JAMA 265 (7): 885–7. PMID 1992186[e]