Our Autopsy Service is provided as a courtesy to UCSF doctors and the families of patients at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. An autopsy provides valuable medical information about the cause of death and often provides closure for a patient's family.
Each year, we perform about 180 autopsies on adults and children, covering a wide range of conditions, including metabolic and genetic disorders. Our pathologist is experienced in performing autopsies on children, infants and fetuses.
In cases of genetic conditions and malformations, an autopsy often provides valuable information to the family, doctors and genetic counselors. For all autopsies, a precise diagnosis is made and the extent of disease, effect of treatment and cause of death documented.
Autopsies are typically performed within a few hours of death. A complete autopsy involves dissection of organs from all body cavities — chest, abdomen and skull. In some cases, a patient's family may restrict the extent of the examination.
Incisions are never made on the face, hands or other part of the body that may be visible at a funeral, so there is no evidence of autopsy, even with an open casket.
Immediately following the autopsy, incisions are closed with stitches and the designated mortuary is notified.
Preliminary autopsy diagnoses are available within two days of the procedure and final autopsy reports are sent to the patient's referring doctor within a month. In most cases, the doctor discusses the final report with the patient's parents and interprets the autopsy findings. A patient's legal parents or guardian are entitled to a copy of the final report.
Autopsies at UCSF are performed only with signed consent of a patient's legal parent or guardian, or designated durable power of attorney for health care. With proper consent, autopsies are performed on UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital patients at no charge. Our patients with terminal illnesses who die outside of UCSF, such as at home, also can be autopsied at no charge, but families must pay to transport the body to and from UCSF.
We do not perform autopsies on patients who have not been evaluated or treated for their primary health condition at UCSF Childrens Hospital.
The Patient Relations office assists the doctor and family to complete paperwork necessary for an autopsy. Patient Relations can be contacted at (415) 353-1936.
To contact the Autopsy Service, call (415) 353-1629
