partial autopsy

PATHOLOGY

A generic term for an autopsy confined to a specific body region.

The Royal College of Pathologists (UK) grudgingly gives its blessing for partial autopsies when:

(1) The cause of death is found early in the procedure–e.g., a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and the family was dead set (sic) against a post mortem examination, or

(2) A biosafety level 3 organism is suspected and minimal violation of body cavities is appropriate

Synonym Region-limited autopsy