Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal issues: A medicolegal autopsy

• A medicolegal autopsy means an examination of the body after death, which is conducted in cases where the circumstances of the death suggest that the death was caused by homicide, suicide or accident or is suspicious in nature where criminal investigation is instituted. 
• The Police/magistrate are empowered by the law in India to order a designated doctor to perform a forensic autopsy; hence no consent from the family/legal heir is required for forensic autopsy.
• Autopsia cadaverum or an autopsy is the post-mortem examination of corpse by a registered doctor. It is a specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the identity of corpse, the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. The autopsy must be performed by a specialized experienced medical doctor; however if possible, it should preferably be done only by a doctor qualified/experienced in forensic medicine.
• The autopsy ideally includes both a thorough external examination of the body and a probing examination of the internal organs of the body. During the external examination, the doctor examines the body searching for wounds and injuries, noting deformities, absence of limbs, state of nutrition, and unusual features.
• The doctor should examine the hands, fingers, fingernails, feet, teeth, scalp, tattoos, scars, hair, skeleton remains, hair fibers, jewelry, and clothing.
• While conducting the internal examination, the autopsy surgeon should remove the deceased’s chest plate, lungs, heart, liver, intestines, etc. and, with the use of a scalpel, examine these organs for wounds, disease, and deformities.
• There should be an arrangement to videotape the autopsy and must release a detailed report, including the cause of death to the police as early as possible. It is best and most transparent if the postmortem report is handed over along with dead body.
• Autopsies, as well as the reports released by the medical examiner, vary in quality. Some medical examiners take little care in their work. A small percentage is outright incompetent.
• Once an autopsy is complete the body must be well reconstituted by sewing or suturing it back together with cosmetic care of deceased body. Suturing from chin to pubic prominence should be masked by resembling skin color paste.