Hello,

In hospital setting, after a person dies, postmortem care is usually rendered. The dead body with all the required identification is then sent and stored temporarily to the morgue.

Every setting have different protocols. The body may be washed and disinfected as indicated. Autopsy is done as required. Then the body is kept in morgue refrigerators until the day it is released.

I hope that answered your question.

is performed primarily to determine the cause of death, to identify or characterize the extent of disease states that the person may have had, or to determine whether a particular medical or surgical treatment has been effective.

Usually a consent from the next of kin (who has the right to set autopsy limitations) is obtained but a medical examiner can order an autopsy in suspicious deaths without consent.

Autopsy processes usually start with extensive external examinations. Internal examination will include checking on every internal structures - big or small. The extent of autopsy may be done on a single organ or according to prescribed limitation or may be extensive requiring investigation of all the organs and the entire body. Large incision will be made to expose the different internal parts and as needed, some structures will be taken out to expose underneath structures.All the organs will be removed and separated and every aspect is investigated. Specimen sample will be taken for microscopic examinations. After the examination is finished, the incisions made will be sewn back - the organs that were taken out will be returned or maybe retained to be used for teaching, research, and diagnostic purposes, depending on the circumstances.

This link has more details of the process: http://www.medicinenet.com/autopsy/page2.htm

I hope that answered your question.