RE: autopsy procedures

["John DeLaHunt" <jdelahunt@cc.colorado.edu>]

> A patient dies 14 hours after intraperitoneal administation of 12 mCi
> of colloidal P-32.An autopsy is desired.Explain the procedures
> you would deem necessary for safe working conditions during the
> autopsy? What about burial of the body?

Ummm... I' m _no_ expert.

But, what about standard universal precautions and exposure monitoring
(ring badges, e.g.) for the MEs?

When the cadaver is embalmed (if...), it would seem to me that all the
effluents would need to be kept for decay-in-storage (10 half lives gets
you near 10 uCi total P-32 activity...).  Moreover, the cadaver would have
to be kept in storage for same.

How common is this procedure?  Was it intentional?  12mCi P-32 seems like a
more-than-therapeutic dose....

Hope this helps...

John

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