autopsy report

[mskassebaum]

I hope someone here can help me .I just received an autopsy report on my mother.It was 2 pages long that it I've been told they are much bigger. I am very distraught about her death and trying to find the cause.I think I may not have received the complete report. does anyone know. 😕

 

[yaah]

Autopsy reports are different everywhere. A lot of times they are long because there is a lot of protocol and general descriptions which, frankly, don't contribute much to the diagnosis but are there for completeness' sake.

Standard autopsy reports will generally include:

A general, gross description (measurements, weights of organs, descriptions of scars and wounds and medical equipment, pathologic findings like tumors or fluid collections). This is usually the bulk of the report and is organized in sections - general & external exam, thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, brain, etc.

Microscopic description: What is seen on the slides. Generally this is pretty short, less than a page.

Final diagnosis: Also usually short, often only a couple of lines depending on how many findings there are. Some things that are small and insignificant are often not mentioned.

Sometimes there is a brief clinical history included.

Depending on the institution, there may be a statement relating findings to cause of death (in narrative form).

If you have concerns, I would take it to your doctor or your mother's doctor. Contact the path department where it was issued from if you have specific concerns. Many autopsies are also limited by the family (family requests no brain exam, for example) and are thus shorter. Reports at my institution are generally about 10 pages, but like I said about 8 of this is the gross description.

 

[LADoc00]

You likely need someone to interpret it. Either contact the pathologist who did it or you can send it to me via Fax and I would happy to discuss it over the phone with you for a nominal fee (mainly because Im broke). Im a licensed pathologist in California.
email: [email protected]

 

[mskassebaum]

Autopsy reports are different everywhere. A lot of times they are long because there is a lot of protocol and general descriptions which, frankly, don't contribute much to the diagnosis but are there for completeness' sake.

Standard autopsy reports will generally include:

A general, gross description (measurements, weights of organs, descriptions of scars and wounds and medical equipment, pathologic findings like tumors or fluid collections). This is usually the bulk of the report and is organized in sections - general & external exam, thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, brain, etc.

Microscopic description: What is seen on the slides. Generally this is pretty short, less than a page.

Final diagnosis: Also usually short, often only a couple of lines depending on how many findings there are. Some things that are small and insignificant are often not mentioned.

Sometimes there is a brief clinical history included.

Depending on the institution, there may be a statement relating findings to cause of death (in narrative form).

If you have concerns, I would take it to your doctor or your mother's doctor. Contact the path department where it was issued from if you have specific concerns. Many autopsies are also limited by the family (family requests no brain exam, for example) and are thus shorter. Reports at my institution are generally about 10 pages, but like I said about 8 of this is the gross description.

Thank you that helps alot.I have a friend thats a Dr. but he just kept saying the report wasn't complete.

 

[kchan99]

It could be a tentative report, which would be indicated somewhere. Is this from a hospital or medical examiner's office?

 

[GeoLeoX]

If your mother died recently it is likely that you only received the preliminary report as kchan99 mentioned. At the hospitals where I work we are responsible for filing a preliminary report that is very basic (2 pages) within 48 hours of the autopsy. It takes much longer to go through all the results that yaah mentioned and consequently the issuance of a final autopsy report can take weeks to months (depending on how fast the attending can get it signed out). All the details that I have previously mentioned are for standard medical autopsies. Medical examiner autopsies are different - less detail, faster turnaround.

Sorry to hear about your loss and I hope this helps,

Geo

 

[DrBloodmoney]

Yeah as mentioned before, if it is only two pages then it is definetly a provisional report. We have a 30 business day turnaround mandate on autopsy reports at one of my hospitals. And it is tough to even meet that. So give it at least 4 weeks.

 

[Mindy]

Hi: I am very sorry to hear about your mom.

Does the report say something like "Provisional Anatomic Diagnosis"? Does it appear to be a list of medical conditions? If so it is a preliminary report, and not the full autopsy report which should be as described in the above posts.

Mindy