Développement et mise en place d'un système de suivi et d'assistance à l'autopsie (SSAA)

Autopsy is a complex medical act, historically at the origin of the technical and scientific police. This field of expertise is mostly based on observations made by forensic pathologists. But, as the other forensic sciences, this medical specialty needs capacities for demonstration, illustration, traceability, transparency and the respect of the principle of an adversarial process. The problem is that the autopsy environment is not favourable for these aims. In accordance with the European recommendations and criteria for the accreditation of forensic pathology services, we imagine an audio-visual concept using cameras, microphones and speakers, placed in the autopsy room and in delocalized clean room. This equipment, called “following and assistance system for autopsy”, allows exchanges between all interveners (forensic pathologist, investigator, judge, medical secretary…), respecting the requirements of each. With this new system, the forensic pathologist can use, in the autopsy room, all information extracted from the post-mortem CT scan. He can directly control the quality of all photos, which will illustrate the report. He can also be sure of the quality and reliability of all notes reported on a new standardized frame. For the others interveners, the system give them the opportunity to follow the technical process more precisely, on a suitable place, without any hygienic constraints. At the end, the audio and video recording of the procedure permits an exploitation even after several years, when an additional expertise or a second expert opinion is required.