The hospital autopsy: the importance in keeping autopsy an option

Autopsy has been one of the most powerful diagnostic tools in medicine for over a century. Despite its importance in establishing cause of death and elucidating pathophysiology of disease, rates of hospital autopsies continue to decline. In this study we aim to determine if physicians believe autopsies are essential to patient care through discussion of autopsy with families. At the same time, we analyzed whether families are more willing to consent to autopsy if physicians are involved in autopsy discussion at the time of death, and what may be the reasons for not wanting an autopsy. Our results showed a doubling in autopsy consent when autopsy was discussed by the physician. Additionally, the biggest reason for families not consenting to autopsy was because they believed they already knew what caused death. The emergence of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has re-established the value of autopsy, as seen by increased autopsy rates in the past year. This study demonstrates that physician conversation with families on autopsy leads to an increased chance of autopsy consent.

Programa de autopsias virtuales o "virtuopsias" en el Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. Un importante eslabón para la generación de nuevo conocimiento y mejoramiento continuo / Virtual autopsy program or "virtuopsias" at the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. An important link for the generation of new knowledge and continuous improvement

Most of today ́s medical knowledge of current advances in medicine are based on autopsy findings and patological studies conducted during the 19th century. At the end of the 60s, autopsies began to decline in many countries, for multivariate reasons. Nowadays, autopsies are almost no longer performed unless legal reasons are present. The so important and didactic Pathological Anatomy Meetings are not being held anymore either. These instances played a particularly important role, bringing together and gathering experts and apprentices from different medical areas and disciplines. Unfortunately they have been disappearing from hospitals. However, physicians still seem to need them, as many times there is urgent need to get reliable information about the etiology of thepatients' symptoms and the ultimate causes that led him or her to death. The relevance of this information for generating new knowledge and proposing new diagnostic or therapeutic tools for continuous improvement, both in the field of healthcare and training is indisputable. Unfortunately, we still face situations in which a patient dies in the midst of many doubts regarding the ultimate cause of death. At the University of Chile Clinical Hospital, a so-called Adverse Event Meetings have been held every Thursday for several years. A lot of time is spent trying to elucidate what could have happened, in an attempt to detect errors that could have been corrected A team of doctors, midwives and nurses, analyze all the adverse events reported, step by step. In spite of this, there are situations where doubts still persist, once the meeting is over. Currents advances in imaging, immune-histochemistry, molecular and genetic study techniques can make possible today to obtain most important information without the need for a traditional autopsy. These technologies, appear then as a substitute for traditional autopsies, since the realization of some of these post-mortem studies would allow to elucidate many diagnostic doubts, improving diagnostic and / or therapeutic procedures in case we are faced to similar cases in the future. The idea of performing the so called "virtual autopsies" in the University of Chile Clinical Hospital, is not very original, as others have been performing this procedure, in other hospital around the world. They already exist in several countries under the name of virtual autopsies or "virtuopsias". It is not an innovation of ours. This Virtual Autopsy Program does not imply to discard the classic autopsy, which probably should still be the first option for legal or very difficult cases, without a clear cause of death. The indication of performing virtual autopsies should be considered in all those circumstances where there is an important clinical doubt and when a classic autopsy is difficult to perform, whatever the reason for this is. (AU)

Correlación clínico-patológica: una simbiosis irremplazable entre internista y patólogo / Clinical-pathological correlation: an unreplaceable symbiosis between the internist and the pathologist

RESUMEN No existen dudas acerca de las dificultades que se presentan para lograr el diagnóstico de algunos pacientes, aún con el mejor uso de la clínica y de los recursos tecnológicos. Hay un porcentaje variable de diagnósticos de entidades nosológicas que por diversas complejidades o asociación de factores a veces requieren confirmación por la autopsia. Pueden citarse múltiples ejemplos de enfermedades descubiertas o esclarecidas, gracias a la autopsia, que tiene en la correlación clínico-patológica un basamento fundamental. Los índices de discrepancia y coincidencia de las causas de muerte entre el diagnóstico clínico y morfológico constituyen de forma indirecta un indicador de calidad de la atención médica prestada. Se estableció como objetivo de investigación describir los principales vínculos histórico-médicos de la correlación clínico-patológica y su vigencia actual. Sin lugar a dudas, a través del método anatomoclínico existe una unión muy necesaria entre internista y patólogo, y que de cuya relación los principales beneficiados siempre serán los pacientes, sus familiares y la sociedad en general (AU).

ABSTRACT There are no doubts on the difficulties arising for arriving to the diagnosis of several patients, even with the best usage of the clinic and the technological resources. There it is a variable percent of diagnoses of hospital entities that, because of diverse complexities or factors association, sometimes require confirmation by autopsy. Multiple examples of diseases discovered or elucidated due to the autopsy could be cited, having a main basement in the clinical-pathological correlation. The indexes of discrepancy and coincidence of death causes between the clinical and morphological diagnoses are, in an indirect way, an indicator of the given medical care. The established research objective was describing the main historic-medical bonds of the clinical-pathological correlation and its current force. Without doubts, there is a very necessary relation between the internist and the pathologist through the anatomoclinical method, and as a result of it, the main benefitted would be always the patients, their relatives and all the society (AU).

Research Advances in Postmortem Chemistry / 法医学杂志

Postmortem chemistry is becoming more and more essential in routine forensic pathology and has made considerable progress over the past years. Biochemical analyses of vitreous humor, blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid may provide important information in determining the cause of death or in elucidating forensic issues. Postmortem chemistry may be essential for the determination of cause of death when morphological methods (diabetes mellitus, alcoholic ketoacidosis and electrolytic disorders) cannot detect the pathophysiological changes involved in the death process. It can also provide many information in other forensic situations, including myocardial ischemia, sepsis, inflammation, infection, anaphylaxis and hormonal disturbances. The most recent relevant research advances on glucose metabolism, liver function, cardiac function, renal function, sepsis, inflammation, infection, anaphylaxis and hormonal aspect are hereby reviewed.

Academic autopsies in Brazil - a national survey / Autópsias acadêmicas no Brasil - um inquérito nacional

Objective: To investigate the number and rate of academic autopsies, general organization, educational and research in Brazilian academic services. Methods: Standardized questionnaires were sent to Brazilian medical schools (n=177) and active pathology residency programs (n=53) from March to June 2009. Data were collected for years 2003 to 2008. Results: Thirty-two academic services in 11 Brazilian states answered the survey. Twenty-one (65.6%) perform less than a hundred autopsies for natural causes and less than fifty pediatric or fetal autopsies/year. Twenty-four (75%) perform less than a hundred adult autopsies/year. Many institutions (46.9%) reported a drop in the number of autopsies in a six-year period. The total autopsy count and autopsy rate in 2008 ranged 1-632 (median = 80), and 0-66% (mean = 10.6%), respectively. A steady decrease in the total count of autopsies in a pool of 19 institutions was observed (p<0.01). Median autopsy rates have fallen from 19.3%, in 2003, to 10.6%, in 2008 (p=0.07). Significant discrepancies at autopsies led to changes in institutional healthcare practice in 37.5% of the services. The low number of autopsies was a limiting factor in undergraduate education for 25% of respondents. A minimum number of autopsies is required to complete the pathology residency program in 34.6% of the services. Conclusion: The total number and the rate of academic autopsies have decreased in Brazil between 2003 and 2008. The number of autopsies and the general organization of academic services must be enhanced to improve medical education, research, and the quality control of patient care. .

Objetivo: Investigar o número e a taxa de autópsias acadêmicas, organização geral, ensino e pesquisa em serviços acadêmicos brasileiros. Métodos: Questionários padronizados enviados para escolas médicas brasileiras (n=177) e programas de residência em patologia ativos (n=53) de março a junho de 2009. Dados coletados referentes ao período de 2003 a 2008. Resultados: Trinta e dois serviços em 11 estados responderam à pesquisa. Vinte e um (65,6%) realizam menos de cem autópsias de causas naturais e menos de cinquenta autópsias fetais ou pediátricas/ano. Vinte e quatro (75%) realizam menos de cem autópsias de adultos/ano. Muitas instituições (46,9%) relataram queda no número de autópsias em seis anos. A contagem total e a taxa de autópsias em 2008 variaram, respectivamente, de 1 a 632 (mediana=80) e de 0 a 66% (média=10,6%). Foi observada uma redução contínua no total de autópsias em um grupo de 19 instituições (p<0,01). A mediana da taxa de autópsias caiu de 19,3%, em 2003, para 10,6%, em 2008 (p=0,07). Discrepâncias significativas observadas em autópsias levaram a mudanças na prática institucional de saúde em 37,5% dos serviços. O baixo número de autópsias foi limitante no ensino de graduação para 25% dos entrevistados. Um número mínimo de autópsias é necessário para completar o programa de residência em patologia em 34,6% dos serviços. Conclusão: O número total e a taxa de autópsias acadêmicas diminuíram no Brasil entre 2003 e 2008. O número de autópsias e organização geral dos serviços acadêmicos deve ser melhorado para fortalecer a educação médica, pesquisa e controle de qualidade prestado ao paciente. .

Second autopsy: The Indian scenario.

A Medico-legal autopsy is conducted to ascertain the cause of death, time of death, identification of the deceased, etc. in unnatural and/or suspicious deaths. However, the very purpose for which an autopsy is conducted may either not be served or appear to be poorly served in many a cases. In such times, another autopsy is requested and conducted on an already autopsied body commonly known as second autopsy. Rules are still unclear & varying for medico legal autopsy at different places resulting in unwarranted issues. This has resulted in a surge seen in cases of second autopsy or re-postmortem examination. With no rules governing the conduct of even a second autopsy and the sorry state of medico-legal autopsies as such in India, a lot of issues, wanted and unwanted, creep up while conduct of a second autopsy. An effort is made to draw attention towards the issues associated with the conduct of a second autopsy in India and few suggestions proposed to overcome those difficulties.

Rol de la autopsia / Role of autopsy

La evaluación histórica de la autopsia destaca sus funciones pretéritas, como referencia para la definición del rol actual. Sus aportes a la medicina son principalmente el control de calidad de la atención médica, fuente de información para estadísticas vitales, educación e investigación médica. Se destaca la trascendencia de sus funciones como intento de revitalizar su práctica, actualmente en declinación