Relevance of Clinical Autopsy in Medical Practice in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

Autopsy is very important in medical practice and is being increasingly relegated both in the developed and developing countries. Though autopsy rate has been on the decline; the exact rates are difficult to determine because various reports are influenced by many factors. The danger of the decline in the developing countries is that equipment for proper diagnosis is not yet available; therefore; most diagnoses are not made and the cause of death would not have been known. This article reviews the benefits of autopsy in modern practice; the importance of perinatal autopsy and the shortcomings of modern technology in the diagnosis and determination of the cause of death. Electronic literature search combined with the review of both local publications and relevant texts were carried out. Clinicians should endeavor to request for postmortem examination as the benefits far outweigh the reasons proffered for the decline in the autopsy rate