[Autopsy are a useful quality instrument because of unexpected clinical relevant findings and the answering of clinical questions; a retrospective study]

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of unexpected, clinically relevant findings in autopsies performed at the University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and the number of questions posed by the clinician that were answered by the pathologist performing the autopsy. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHOD: All 60 complete autopsy reports of patients older than 10 days for the period January 2000 to April 2000 were compared with the information available from the autopsy application forms and discharge letters. RESULTS: An unexpected, clinically relevant findings was found in 20 cases (33%). The percentage questions answered by the pathologist was 93% (174 out of 187 questions). CONCLUSION: Autopsy is an important instrument for improving the quality of medicine.