This branch of medical study is called forensic medicine. Forensic specialists investigate deaths resulting from violence or occurring under suspicious circumstances. Organ donation, which can potentially save the lives of other patients, is also another benefit of autopsies. Precautions When performed for medical reasons, autopsies require formal permission from family members or the legal guardian. During the autopsy, very concise notes and documentation must be made for both medical and legal reasons.
Some religious groups prohibit autopsies.
An autopsy can be described as the examination of a deceased human body with a detailed exam of the person's remains. At the beginning of the procedure the exterior body is examined and then the internal organs are removed and studied. Some pathologists argue that more autopsies are performed than necessary. However, recent studies show that autopsies can detect major findings about a person's condition that were not suspected when the person was alive. And the growing awareness of the influence of genetic factors in disease has also emphasized the importance of autopsies.