What organs do they remove during autopsy?

During a post-mortem (autopsy), most or all internal organs, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, spleen, pancreas, and glands, are removed, examined, dissected for abnormalities, sampled for tissue analysis, and then usually returned to the body or cremated, with the skull cap replaced and body sewn shut for viewing. The specific organs examined depend on the type of post-mortem, with a full exam covering everything and a limited one focusing on organs related to the suspected cause of death, like the brain for a stroke.

Are all organs removed during autopsy?

Yes, during a full autopsy, all major internal organs (viscera) are typically removed for detailed examination, weighing, and taking tissue samples, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and intestines, though a pathologist decides the extent of removal based on the case. After examination, these organs are usually placed in a plastic bag and returned to the body cavity before it's sewn shut for funeral services. 

What organs stay alive after death?

The brain and nerve cells require a constant supply of oxygen and will die within a few minutes, once you stop breathing. The next to go will be the heart, followed by the liver, then the kidneys and pancreas, which can last for about an hour. Skin, tendons, heart valves and corneas will still be alive after a day.

How are organs removed in an autopsy?

Your ribcage is then removed, followed by your larynx, esophagus, arteries and ligaments. By severing a few attachments to your spinal cord, bladder, and rectum, the examiner can remove the rest of your organs as an entire set. Your organs are each examined and weighed, with sample slices taken of their tissue.

Why is the tongue removed during autopsy?

The tongue isn't always removed in an autopsy, but when it is, it's often part of examining the neck/throat for trauma (like strangulation or neck injuries), checking for hidden issues (tumors, infections), or when it's removed with other organs (heart, lungs, esophagus) for easier dissection to find the cause of death, especially in cases of suspected poisoning or disease affecting the upper digestive tract. Pathologists also look at tongue changes (like protrusion or cellular shifts) to help estimate time since death (postmortem interval) or identify decomposition stages. 

What Happens To The Organs After Autopsy? #autopsy #forensics #doctor

Why do they cover the legs in a casket?

Caskets cover the legs primarily for dignity, aesthetics, and practicality, hiding potential swelling or discoloration after death, focusing attention on the face, and accommodating half-couch caskets or organ donation procedures. A blanket or the casket's lid covers the lower half, maintaining a peaceful, unified appearance for loved ones viewing the deceased.
 

Are eyes removed during autopsy?

Yes, eyes can be removed during an autopsy, especially in forensic cases like suspected child abuse or trauma, as examining them (often after removal) provides crucial clues about intracranial pressure, hemorrhages, or injury, but it depends on the pathologist's discretion, case specifics, and family consent for donation. While not always the first step, it's a standard part of a full examination when needed to determine cause of death or medical implications. 

Which organ fails first after death?

After death, the brain is the first organ to "die" because its cells need a constant oxygen supply and begin to shut down within minutes of circulation stopping, followed by the heart, while other organs and tissues like skin, corneas, and tendons can remain viable for hours or even days, highlighting that "death" is a process, not an instant event. 

Has anyone ever woken up during an autopsy?

Yes, there are documented cases of people mistakenly declared dead waking up just before or during an autopsy, often due to conditions like catalepsy, extreme hypothermia, or misdiagnosed vital signs, with famous examples including Gonzalo Montoya Jiménez in Spain (2018) and a man in 1950s New Orleans, highlighting rare but real instances of apparent death being mistaken for actual death. 

What happens to the brain 7 minutes after death?

About 7 minutes after the heart stops and oxygen to the brain ceases, the brain experiences a final, intense burst of electrical activity, with neurons firing wildly, potentially explaining "life flashing before your eyes" or near-death experiences (NDEs) as memories are rapidly recalled, but this activity quickly fades as brain cells die, leading to irreversible brain death. This surge involves gamma waves in memory centers, a "wave of death" on EEGs, marking the irreversible loss of function.
 

What happens the first 5 minutes after death?

For the first few minutes of the postmortem period, brain cells may survive. The heart can keep beating without its blood supply. A healthy liver continues breaking down alcohol. And if a technician strikes your thigh above the kneecap, your leg likely kicks, just as it did at your last reflex test with a physician.

What organs cannot be replaced?

The brain, the eye (whole), and the spinal cord are organs that cannot be transplanted due to their immense complexity and the inability to reconnect the millions of intricate nerve fibers needed for function. While many organs (heart, liver, kidneys) are transplantable, the brain's central role in consciousness and the optic nerve's delicate structure make them currently impossible to replace, though tissues like corneas (parts of the eye) and nerves can be. 

What organ has the longest waiting list?

How long will I have to wait to receive a transplant?

• Kidney – 5 years.
• Liver – 11 months.
• Heart – 4 months.
• Lung – 4 months.
• Kidney / Pancreas – 1.5 years.
• Pancreas – 2 years.

Which organ dies last after death?

The brain, specifically the brainstem, is generally considered the last functional organ to die, as its electrical activity can persist briefly after breathing and heartbeat stop, but tissues like skin, corneas, and connective tissues (hair, nails, tendons) are the last to lose viability, potentially lasting hours to days due to their lower oxygen demand, with skin/eye cells surviving the longest for donation purposes. 

Are bodies sewn back up after autopsy?

When concluding an autopsy, the body must be sewn up again. The stitching used to do this is the same stitching as on a baseball. First, the head is sewn up without the brain. The organs can be replaced in the body or the body can be filled with a filler material before it is sewn up again.

What happens in the first 30 minutes of death?

In the first 30 minutes after death, the body stops vital functions, leading to immediate changes like pallor mortis (paleness) as circulation stops, muscle relaxation causing jaw to drop and potential release of bladder/bowel, and the start of livor mortis (blood pooling), while brain cells die within minutes from lack of oxygen. The body begins to cool (algor mortis), and the eyes become fixed and glassy, showing the irreversible cessation of life.
 

What will not show up on an autopsy?

What an autopsy report can't show. In general, an autopsy report cannot detail in what order a person's wounds were inflicted. The report will detail the number and location of wounds. Detectives can then use this information, along with other evidence that has been gathered, to infer how an incident unfolded.

What is the 40 day rule after death?

The 40-day rule after death, prevalent in Eastern Orthodox Christianity and some other traditions (like Coptic, Syriac Orthodox), marks a significant period where the soul journeys to its final judgment, completing a spiritual transition from Earth to the afterlife, often involving prayers, memorial services (like the 'sorokoust' in Orthodoxy), and rituals to help the departed soul, symbolizing hope and transformation, much like Christ's 40 days before Ascension, though its interpretation varies by faith, with some Islamic views seeing it as cultural rather than strictly religious. 

What is the longest a person has been dead and revived?

The longest documented case of someone being revived after clinical death, with full recovery, involves a hypothermic climber who was revived after 8 hours and 42 minutes (plus extra time) due to extreme cold slowing cell death. In a non-hypothermic case, Velma Thomas was clinically dead for 17 hours before a spontaneous recovery, a phenomenon called Lazarus Syndrome, while another patient was revived after 42 minutes with medical intervention. 

What happens 5 minutes before death?

Final stage (minutes before death).

In the last minutes of life, breathing becomes shallow and may stop altogether. The heartbeat slows and eventually ceases.

What is picking at sheets before death?

Picking at sheets before death, known medically as carphologia, is a symptom of terminal agitation or restlessness, a common phase in the days or weeks leading up to death, where the body's systems are shutting down, causing confusion, disorientation, and aimless movements like picking at bedclothes or air, often due to lack of oxygen to the brain or the body's natural end-of-life processes. 

What is the moaning sound at the end of life?

Moaning sounds at the end of life, often called the "death rattle," are usually from secretions (saliva/mucus) pooling in the throat as swallowing weakens, causing a gurgling noise with breath, not pain or drowning; it's a normal sign of the dying process where the brain doesn't signal to swallow, but it can be distressing for families, and hospice teams can help manage the sound and ensure comfort. Sometimes, rhythmic moaning or grunting can be a self-soothing sound from relaxed vocal cords as breathing becomes irregular, also not necessarily pain.
 

Can a body feel pain during cremation?

Cremation turns the body of someone who has died into ashes. This is only done after a person has died, so they do not see or feel anything.

Can a deceased loved one visit you?

While a deceased loved one cannot physically visit you after death, many people find comfort in spiritual beliefs and personal experiences that suggest they can communicate or "visit" through vivid dreams, signs (like seeing symbols or smells), or a strong feeling of their presence, offering comfort and reassurance, though some scientific views attribute these to the grieving process or the mind processing loss.
 

Why would a funeral home not let you see the body?

A funeral director advises against viewing a body when there's severe trauma, advanced decomposition, or significant disfigurement from accident, illness, or violence, as it can create distressing final images, but they also may suggest it if the body isn't embalmed or if they need a family member to positively identify the deceased to avoid future doubts, offering options like touching a hand or foot for closure.