Dr. Sabir Mekki Hassan: Forensic Medicine

INTRODUCTION
DR. SABIR MEKKI

FORENSIC MEDICINE
HASSAN
DEFINITION
FORENSIC: Comes from the Latin
word (FORENSIS) which literally
comes from marketplace or forum
It is defined as that branch of medicine
which applies the knowledge and
principles of medicine for the purposes
of law.
Here we have three types of issues:
Purely medical , purely legal and
CLASSIFICATION
CLINCAL FORENSIC MEDICINE: Practicing
forensic medicine in living subjects e . g :
1. trauma.
2.suspected poison.
3.identification in living by age , sex , person and
race.
4.suspected rape.
5.suspected criminal abortion.
6.suspected illegal pregnancy.
7.disputed paternity.
P0ST-MORTEM FORENSIC MEDICINE:
1.external examination of a dead body.
2.autopsy.
3.exhumation.
4.identification of remains.
Types of remains(dead bodies):-
Fresh,
putrified,mummified,saponified,macerated,fragm
ented,skeletonized,dismantled,burnt,mangled .
?WHY STUDY FORENSIC MEDICINE
1.To defend ourselves against the

ever increasing legal allegations.
2.To look after the medico-legal

rights and interests of our patients
SUBJECTS CLOSELY RELATED TO
FORENIC MEDICINE
1.FORENSIC SCIENCES: This is the
legitimate sister of forensic medicine.
Includes: toxicology, serology,
cytogenetic …etc.:-
1.the first to go the scene of accident to
collect the evidence.
2.after autopsy, they examine and
analyze the samples taken from the body.
2.FORENSIC PATHOLOGY: Practiced by
pathologists , usually, in natural death to know
the cause of death to feedback the clinicians.
Also they examine the tissue samples after
autopsy.
3.FORENSIC
STOMATOLOGY(ODONTOLOGY):
Concerned with identification using teeth , bite
marks , mandible etc…..
4.Forensic psychiatry:-
Concerned with legal aspects of
mental disorders.
5.Forensic anthropology:-
The study of bodily shape and skeletal formation
in legal sense and also for identification purposes.
6. Forensic entomology:-
Use of insects for medico-legal purposes.
MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE:
Concerned with the legal aspects of
the medical profession such as laws
and ethics that regulate the practice
of medicine; where forensic
medicine is mainly concerned with
the medical aspects of law.
AUTOPSY:-(NECROPSY , POST-
MORTEM, THANATOPSY)
Literally means look it for” oneself”
This is external and
internal examination of a dead body in a certain
manner for many purposes.
TYPES:
1.FORENSIC AUTOPSY: This is external and
internal examination of a dead body for medico-
legal purposes to obtain medico-legal findings. It
includes documents.
2.PATHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY:
This is done by a pathologist and the main
purpose here is the cause of death where it is
uncertain .It is done in natural death.
3.RADIOLOGICAL AUTOPSY : This is a
newly emerging type of autopsy e .g CT
scan to see the water level in paranasal
sinuses in case of drowning.
4.MOLECULAR AUTOPSY : This
depends mainly on cytogenetic
investigations .It is done in cases of
5.VERBAL AUTOPSY : This
is done by the treating doctors
in cases of natural death in a
hospital setting depending on
the history , clinical
examination and investigations
from the file of the patient .
Here there is no real dissection
6.Needle or sample autopsy:-
Done in epidemics, examples:-
1.taking samples from internal body parts using a needle.
2.taking rectal swab in cases of cholera.
3.taking skin snip in cases of Ebola.
7.Second autopsy:-
1.To find out the cause of death when could not be
found by the doctor who did the first autopsy.
2. When the relatives are not satisfied.
8.Negative autopsy:-
When the gross and microscopic findings
fail to reveal any apparent cause of death.
Rate 5-8% even in well equipped centers
worldwide.
Possible reasons:-
1.Inadequate history.
2.Lack of proper external examination.
3.Improper internal examination.
4.Insufficient histological examination.
5.Inadequate pathologist training.
6.Cause of death needs cytogenetic studies.
 9.Obscure autopsy:-
No definite cause of death or the cause of
death is obscure. Causes are:-
1.Concealed trauma such as brain concussion.
2.Cardiac causes such blunt force injury ,
cardiac arrest ,cardiac arrthmias.
3.Reflex vagal inhibition.
AN AUTOPSY REPORT:
There is no one agreed method to write an
autopsy report, but generally:
 it may be written in a simple(lay)
language or a scientific professional
language with a glossary.
 it should be legible( readable).
 it should include the date and time of
autopsy.
 usually it is divided into three main parts:
1. includes the addressed authority , the date
and time of autopsy, the identifying
information of the deceased and the general
description of the body from outside.
2.the opening of three cavities or any other
necessary part and commenting on the
normal and abnormal.
3.the opinion of the one has done the
autopsy on what he or she has seen
including the cause of death.
-:The objectives of autopsy
To make a positive identification of the
body and to assess the size, physique
and nourishment.
To determine the cause of death or, in
the newborn, whether live occurred.
To determine the mode of dying and
time of death, where necessary and
possible.
To demonstrate all external and internal
abnormities, malformations and diseases.
To detect, describe and measure any
external and internal injuries.
To obtain samples for analysis,
microbiological and histological
examination, and any other necessary
investigation.
To retain relevant organs and tissues as
evidence.
To obtain photographs and videos for
evidential and teaching use.
To provide a full written report of the
autopsy findings.
To offer an expert interpretation of those
findings.
To restore the body to the best
possible cosmetic condition before
release to the relatives.
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH

Dr. Sabir Mekki Hassan: Forensic Medicine

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INTRODUCTION

DR. SABIR MEKKI

1.To defend ourselves against the

2.To look after the medico-legal

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