Document Detail


The conventional autopsy in modern medicine.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18387908     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In many countries, including the UK, where relatives' consent is required, clinical autopsy rates (i.e. autopsies other than those required by law) have been declining since the 1950s. In the UK, even in teaching hospitals, the clinical autopsy rate has fallen to only 10% of deaths or less. At this rate of decline, clinical autopsies - and the pathologists who perform them - face extinction. The future practice of medicine will be blind to the many adverse consequences of clinical actions or omissions. The reasons for this decline are manifold and these have to be addressed if autopsy is to stand a chance of survival. The future of autopsy lies in promoting public support for autopsies, in some cases adapting the autopsy to address specific questions, thus making more effective use of information from autopsies. Only by ensuring that the next generation of doctors have experienced the powerful educational benefit of examining the body after death will the importance of autopsy to modern medicine be understood.
Authors:
Tariq Ayoub; Jade Chow
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine     Volume:  101     ISSN:  0141-0768     ISO Abbreviation:  J R Soc Med     Publication Date:  2008 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-04-04     Completed Date:  2008-07-21     Revised Date:  2011-07-27    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7802879     Medline TA:  J R Soc Med     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  177-81     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Foundation Year 1 F1, Conquest Hospital Hastings, UK. tariqayoub@gmail.com
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Attitude of Health Personnel
Autopsy / methods*
Education, Medical / methods
Forecasting
Humans
Pathology Department, Hospital
Professional Practice
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
J R Soc Med. 2008 Aug;101(8):390   [PMID:  18687860 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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