NT BUZZ
An e-book titled ‘Medicolegal Guidelines and Autopsies’, edited by Dr. R.G. Wiseman Pinto, professor of Pathology and former Dean of Goa University, and president of the Asian Society of Cytopathology, was released recently.
The book explains when autopsies should be classified as medico-legal or pathological. It explores the etymology of the word ‘autopsy’ and details various types, including forensic, clinical, complete, partial, restricted, panel, and digital (virtual or ‘virtopsy’) autopsies. It also traces the history of autopsies globally and in India and highlights Indian pathology professors who have promoted
their use.
Autopsies play a crucial role in determining the cause of death, aiding medical research, and ensuring quality in diagnosis and treatment.
They also assist in resolving medico-legal cases by providing final diagnoses and can be used in clinico-pathological conferences (CPCs).
The medicolegal guidelines in the book were formulated by Dr. Pinto on February 21, 2009, with inputs from several experts, including Dr. Silvano Dias Sapeco, Dr. N.G. Dubashi, Dr. Edwin Gomes, Dr. Ponraj S, Dr. Dilip Amonkar, Dr. F.P. Noronha, Dr. M. Nazareth, Dr. Guruprasad Pednekar, Dr. Savita Chandra, Dr. C.P. Das, Dr. Philomena D. Sousa, and Dr. Zelio D. Mello.
“In recent years, there has been a rise in panel autopsies, particularly in post-partum deaths following in vitro fertilisation (IVF),” says Dr. Pinto, adding that autopsies are also being conducted in
cases of post-vaccine deaths, anaphylactic reactions, and sudden fatalities, including among younger individuals.
