HOW DOES THE

FORENSIC

S HELP OUR

SOCIETY

T H E E B AL K A H T A N I

FORENSIC MEDICINE :

• How do we translate ??

• Legal medicine,,,,, forensics• التشريح علم ، الشرعي الطب ، القضائي الطب ، الجنائي الطب ، القانوني الطب

علم ، الوفيات علم ، ،،،،،،، المرضي

• Autopsy , PME

OUR SCOPE

• PME TO DETERMINE COD• LEGAL SYSTEM• DISEASE & INJURY• IDENTIFECATION.• WOUNDS

KEY WORDS: (SUGGESTIONS TO BE USED IN SEARCHES):Forensic, forensics, forensic pathology, forensic medicine, forensic odontology,

forensic dentistry, forensic anthropology, forensic psychiatry, forensic psychology, Forensic archaeology, Forensic entomology, Forensic botany, Forensic criminalistics, Ballistics, Ballistic fingerprinting, Body identification, DNA profiling, Fingerprint analysis, Forensic accounting, Forensic arts, Forensic footwear evidence, Forensic toxicology, Questioned document examination, Vein matching, Digital forensics, telemedicine, telepathology, forensic informatics, Computer forensics, Database forensics, Mobile device forensics, Network forensics, death, cause of death, sudden death, unexpected death, manner , manner of death, homicide, suicide, accident, accidental death, fatal, fatality, mortal, mortality, identification, identifying,  sports medicine (and injuries, trauma, death, fatal, fatalities, mortality), Fire investigation, fire, accelerants, Forensic engineering, Forensic linguistics, Forensic materials engineering, Forensic polymer engineering, Vehicular accident reconstruction, Crime scene, CSI effect, Perry Mason syndrome, Pollen calendar, Skid mark, Trace evidence, DNA in forensic entomology, etc.

THE WEB SITESThe web sites: (suggestions to be used in searches):

1. http://www.medscape.com2. http://scholar.google.com/3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,5. ,,,,,,,,,,,6. ,,,,,,7. ,,,8. ,

SUGGESTIONS FOR TITLES: History, religion and culture of forensics and PME:

• In Islam• In other Religions/Cultures• In the Holy Quran, Hadeeth• History• Previous scientists (e.g. Ibn Al-Nafis)

WHO REQUESTS AN AUTOPSY? ((PERMISSION))In some cases, the law may mandate that an autopsy be performed

( Forensic Autopsy ).

In all other cases, permission is required, cannot be performed without consent.

It can be requested either by the patient’s physician ( medical autopsy ) or by the family ( private autopsy ).

- When giving consent, the family may make any restrictions, limitations, or special requests

TYPE OF AUTOPSIES

Medical

Forensic

Private

WHAT IS AN AUTOPSY ?

• Postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body to determine cause of death or pathological conditions.

• an external and internal examination of the body after death using surgical techniques.

• performed by a forensic pathologist.• Takes { 2 – 4 } hours to perform.

WHAT IS AN AUTOPSY ?May be

Invasive. mini-invasive. non-invasive procedures.

May be Comprehensive limited to a particular organ system.

Small samples of each organ are taken: for microscopic examination , (malignancy or infection…….. for studying genes. for checking for drugs, chemicals, or toxic substances.

The performance of an autopsy should not delay a funeral or affect viewing of the body.

SUGGESTIONS FOR TITLES: • Postmortem examination (PME) and autopsy:

Autopsy ethics: Autopsy procedure: Limited: Minimally invasive: Virtopsy: Techniques:

SUGGESTIONS FOR TITLES: •  Sub-specialised PME:

Molecular autopsy: Perinatal: Natural deaths: Research: Negative autopsy:

TITLES: Forensic topics in KSA:

Drowning , carbon monoxide , death of females of child bearing age ~14-44 years of age, "accidental" fire arm injury, residential injuries, occupational injury, ASCAD, DM, congenital disease, drug abuse, psychiatry, prisons, orphanages, death of Saudis abroad, asthma/allergies, biochemical industry, farming, unclaimed bodies, improper death certification.

FORENSIC AS RELATED TO OTHER HEALTH SPECIALTIES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH:• Paramedics:  PME as a quality assurance, Documentation of evidence of

resuscitation• ER: Death certification, PME as a quality assurance, Documentation of

evidence of resuscitation• Plastic surgery: Burns, wounds, documentation of injuries, identification.• Ortho:  Documentation of injuries, identification, causes of death; PE, fat

embolism.• Ob/Gyn:  Sexual offences, abortion, abuse, recurrent fetal loss, perinatal

PME• Using Colposcopy in the Rape Exam: Health Care, Forensic, and Criminal

Justice Issues• ICU:  Death certification, PME as a quality assurance, Documentation of

evidence of resuscitation

FORENSIC AS RELATED TO OTHER HEALTH SPECIALTIES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH:• CCU:   Death certification, PME as a quality assurance,

Documentation of evidence of resuscitation• Anesthesia:  Death certification, PME as a quality assurance,

Documentation of evidence of resuscitation• Cardiology:  Death certification, PME as a quality assurance,

Documentation of evidence of resuscitation• Cardiac surgery:  Death certification, PME as a quality assurance,

Documentation of evidence of resuscitation• Neurosurgery:  Death certification, Documentation of injuries, PME

as a quality assurance, Documentation of evidence of resuscitation• Neurology: Degenerative diseases, infectious disease.

FORENSIC AS RELATED TO OTHER HEALTH SPECIALTIES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH:• Pediatric: Abuse, neglect, Shaken baby syn., SIDS, PME and

congenital disease diagnosis, inherited disease.• Cranial Computed Tomographic Findings in a Large Group of

Children With Drowning: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Forensic Implications.

• Geriatric.• Degenerative disease, Abuse, Neglect.• Forensic Biomarkers of Elder Abuse: What Clinicians Need to Know.• Psychiatry: Drug abuse, psychiatric disease psychosis in forensics,

excited delirium. Caring for Convicts.

FORENSIC AS RELATED TO OTHER HEALTH SPECIALTIES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH:

• infectious disease: Public health, PME, H1N1, SARS, caring for convicts.• Ophthalmology: Retinal examination, Shaken baby syn.• Vascular surgery: PME in Aneurysm, Dissection, Aortic Dissection and

Marfan's Fatal Invasive Cervical Cancer Secondary to Untreated Cervical Dysplasia. 

• Oncology: death, mortality, effects of treatment, cervical cancer fatality.• Medical staff of a hospital, Hospital Administrator and governmental

agencies monitoring health care:• Provides a quality control mechanism, a final yardstick by which the

care of a patient can be measured

FORENSIC AS RELATED TO OTHER HEALTH SPECIALTIES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH:

Researcher:A source of new ideas as to cause of disease May also provide an evaluation of new procedures and new therapeutic

agents, and an explanation of adverse reactions, with the hope that they can be prevented in the future

FORENSICS RELATED TO OTHER MINISTRIES

• Military.• MOI:• Police:• Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices.• Fire department:• Border and Customs:• Correctional institutions:

FORENSICS RELATED TO OTHER MINISTRIES

• Evaluation of new weaponry; TASER, biological, etc.• Evaluation of safety measures (for officers and transportation).• Evaluation of security measures.• Identification of previously known and unknown individuals.• Excited delirium.• Deaths of officers, prisoners, orphans.

OTHER TOPICS:

 

• Mass disaster• Medical errors• Quality assurance• CSI effect/syndrome• Education• Research

OTHER TOPICS:

• Sports, head injuries, cardiac disease, tests, cause of death.• Terrorism.• Occupational health.• Industry.• Transportation, car, plane, aquatic• Forensic awareness program: KG, elementary, junior high, high

school, College University, health colleges, police, military, fire department..... 

OTHER TOPICS:

• Epidemiology: qualitative, quantitative studies• Testing: military, drugs, treatments• Safety: cars, planes, trains, high rise apartments/buildings, schools,

hospitals, psychiatric intitutes• Genetic disease, heart disease, infectious disease• Drug trafficking, human trafficking, other.

WHY PERFORM AN AUTOPSY?Although the primary reason to perform an autopsy is to determine

cause of death, there are other benefits to individual, families, the practice of medicine, and the community at large.

to answer any questions the law, the family or physician may have about the illness, cause of death, and/or any co-existing conditions.

The autopsy is important to providing an understanding of the quality of patient care.

FORENSIC BENEFITS

In addition, there are forensic benefits of investigation of homicide, suspected homicide, other unexplained or suspicious deaths, and deaths apparently due to accident or injury.

MANNER OF DEATH

• Homicide.• Accidental.• Natural.• Suicide• Undetermined.• Unclassified.

HOW FAMILIES BENEFIT FROM THE AUTOPSYDiscovering inherited or familial diseases

may help families through early diagnosis and treatment & family planningDiscovering an infectious disease

may lead to early diagnosis and treatment & to help other family members and close contacts ( TB ).

Uncovering evidence of a work-related disease might lead to compensation for the family.

Providing crucial information for the settling of insurance claims or death benefits may result in benefits for the family

Confirming a specific cause of death may simply ease the stress of the unknown.

Finding that diagnosis and treatment was appropriate may be comforting to the family.

Knowledge that information gained by the autopsy may help someone else to live longer may ease the profound sense of loss experienced by

families.understand what has happened to their loved one is by performing an autopsy

HOW COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM AUTOPSIES• Increasing knowledge about causes and course of an illness and effects

of different types of treatment.• Explaining the causes of injuries and accidents involving automobiles,

falls, or other situations.• Providing information about preventable causes of disease and accident

and other public health hazards• Helping to establish the cause and manner of death, which at times may

be required by law.• The autopsy is important to providing an understanding of the quality of

patient care• to monitor health system.• Medical education, training and research leading to improved health care

ARE THERE RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS?

YES VS NO

THE FINAL REPORT:It takes several weeks.a permanent part of the patient’s medical record. The findings may be discussed with the family physician or with

the pathologist.

Theeb Alkahtanidr_theeb@hotmail.comText: 966557228228 966500520242