Virtual Autopsy in Cardiology, Cardio- and Vascular-Surgery

Virtual Autopsy in Cardiology, Cardio- and Vascular-Surgery

Today complex vascular and cardiological interventions are performed in severely ill patients.

Autopsy is the reference standard for quality control for almost two centuries, but autopsy rates for patients dying in hospitals are decreasing rapidly.

Virtual autopsy has shown to be a good alternative for classic autopsy.

Patients dying within 96h after a cardiological intervention of a cardio-/vascular-surgery are eligible to be included in the study.

If the next of kin give oral informed consent a virtual autopsy based on a CT angiography followed by a classic medical autopsy will be performed.

Ante mortem findings will be compared to findings from both autopsy methods and presented to the clinicians.

Primary outcome will be the inter-method agreement. Secondary outcome will be the satisfaction of the clinicians evaluated by a standardized questionnaire.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older AND
• dying after a cardiological intervention or a cardio-/vascular surgery AND
• oral informed consent from next of kind

Exclusion Criteria:

• not fulfilling all inclusion criteria