During a standard autopsy, does the examiner normally open the thoracic cavity before removing the brain, or vice versa? I’ve been attempting to gather information on this procedure for a story I’m toying with (not a children’s book, obviously), and the few sources I’ve been able to track down so far tend to describe the chest being opened first and the skull last. However, the logic behind this pattern, if indeed it is one, is never explained. Is this actually the preferred order, and if so, is there a reason why? Would the results of the autopsy be affected somehow if the sequence were reversed? Could the examiner just flip a coin if they wanted to? Do they traditionally save the brain till last for maximum dramatic impact?
Step one: Make sure he’s dead.
I got nothing. Sorry
The pathologist that I worked with had no set procedure, he seemed to go by the apparent cause of death and pressing law enforcement needs, if any. For example, when John Doe presented skull injuries consistent with a gunshot wound, we’d open the head first. If blunt force trauma to the chest was suspected, that was opened first. We didn’t always do the skull, if conditions within the thorax and other observations were consistent with, let’s say a heart attack.
I can’t prove that it’s the preferred procedure, but for all the autopsies I’ve participated in (perhaps 100), removal of the brain was always done last.
I think it’s just a matter of convenience and/or habit, and can’t think of any reasons why the sequence couldn’t be changed (but IANAP).
One thing that always struck me was that people looked exactly the same whether or not they had a brain in their skull. I mean once we had finished sewing things up, you’d never know Grandad was four suits shy of a full deck
The book Cause of Death goes into technical details on how autopsies are performed, as I recall. You’ll probably find it at your local library—it’s a good read, especially for a writer. You might find some useful info in the rest of the “Howdunit” series.