Previous Next

Natasha Richardson Autopsy Result Released

TUESDAY, 24 MARCH 2009


A pathologist's critical role in diagnosing cause of death

WHAT:

Natasha Richardson's autopsy results have just been released and head trauma from a blunt impact killed the actress, per CNN.com.

In cases of traumatic death a forensic pathologist, often working in a Medical Examiner's Office, will perform an autopsy to determine the cause and manner. The pathologist's detailed external and internal examination will document injuries and diseases which could have contributed to death. These findings are then correlated with the clinical scenario, radiographic studies, toxicological results, and microscopic analysis to reach a final determination.

By examining a brain at autopsy, a pathologist can determine the mechanism of injury based on the anatomic findings. For example, epidural hematomas, as seen in this case, are often associated with skull fractures and result from a blow to the head. The appearance of an epidural hematoma is very different than that of a "stroke" -- bleeding into the brain resulting from a natural disease process. The pathologist's examination of the brain also provides a "gold standard" which can be compared to radiographic interpretations of the head in trauma victims as part of a clinical quality assurance program.

In an autopsy, when a pathologist examines a brain following head trauma three questions are asked:

-- What is the injury?
-- What likely caused the injury based on the findings?
-- Did the injury kill the patient?


The answers to these questions will help to determine the patient's cause and manner of death. By recognizing and reporting these injuries, the pathologist can play an important role in preventing injuries to other people. For example, the findings in this case reaffirm that helmets can prevent serious injuries while skiing. Forensic pathologists are often viewed as "the doctors to all of society" since improving public health is one of their missions.

WHO:

Stephen J. Cina, MD, FCAP, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner of the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office in Ft. Lauderdale, FL can offer the forensic pathologist's perspective. He has appeared as a forensic expert on both local and national television programs and been interviewed on countless forensic topics. He has performed over 3000 autopsies.

WHY:

Dr. Cina is a forensic pathologist, a physician who applies the principles of pathology and medicine in general to determine the cause and manner of death. He is available to explain how a forensic pathologist interprets injury patterns, correlates anatomic findings with clinical symptoms and investigation, and arrives at the cause of death following autopsies.

In addition, Dr. Cina is Chair of the College of American Pathologists' Forensic Pathology Committee. He is available to help educate the public about preventing serious injuries from seemingly trivial injuries, such as a fall on a ski slope. He can explain the mechanism of injury in cases of head trauma, the various types of intracranial bleeding, risk factors for intracranial bleeding, and ways to avoid serious injury and death.

The College of American Pathologists is a medical society that serves more than 17,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world. It is the world's largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The College is an advocate for high-quality and cost-effective medical care.

For more details on this news, please visit pr-usa.net.

Previous Next