Forensic Pathology for Police - Brainshare Public Online Library

142 7 The Postmortem Forensic Examination/Autopsy
Fig. 7.17 The liver must be cut away from the diaphragm, as well as the inferior vena cava and
biliary system in order to remove it from the body
Fig. 7.18 The spleen is reflected forward and cut away from the region near the tail of the pancreas
of organs and tissues (Disc Image 7.18; also refer to Disc Image 20.39). This is
commonly called the Rokitansky method, but is more accurately referred to as the
Letulle (en masse) method. The Ghon (en bloc) method, where several blocks of
connected organs are removed, can be considered halfway between the Virchow
and Letulle methods. With either the Ghon or Letulle method, the organ blocks are
dissected after removal from the body. These methods allow for better visualization
of how various organs relate to one another, which can be quite important in
select cases. Ultimately, the organs are individually dissected, just as they are in
the Virchow method. During or after removal of organs, pathologists may note the
presence of other pathology or trauma, including bone injuries and/or collections of
blood within the soft tissues of the mediastinum (behind the heart and between the
lungs), the retroperitoneum (behind the abdominal cavity), or the body cavity walls.
Although the Letulle method is commonly referred to as the Rokitansky method, the