A joint team of the Nigeria Police Force and health officials dug up the body of the deceased singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, who was widely known as Mohbad, on Thursday.
The exhumation of Mohbad’s corpse was confirmed by the Lagos State Police Command, who said that an autopsy on the singer’s remains will be carried out soon.
The nurse who allegedly gave the singer an injection before he died on Tuesday, September 12, was arrested by the police. The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, told our reporter in an exclusive phone call on Thursday that Mohbad’s body was dug up today and that they will soon start an autopsy.
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With the development, The PUNCH takes a look at things to know about an autopsy.
1. External examination
The first step in any forensic autopsy is the external examination of the body. The forensic pathologist performs a detailed external examination of the body. The results are recorded and all physical characteristics are listed. The body must be measured and weighed.
2. Internal examination
To expose the internal organs, the pathologist must open the body. The first cut known as the ‘Y’ incision, is made. The arms of the Y extend from the front of each shoulder to the bottom end of the breastbone. The tail of the Y extends from the sternum to the pubic bone and typically deviates to avoid the navel.
The incision is very deep, extending to the rib cage on the chest, and completely through the abdominal wall below that. The skin from this cut is peeled back, with the top flap pulled over the face.
3. Viewing the internal organs
The internal organs are exposed by cutting a Y-shaped incision and removing the ribs with a saw. The organs that are visible under the removed sternal plate or front chest wall are the lungs, heart, liver, stomach, large intestine, and small intestine.
4. Removing the organs
The Rokitansky method is a common technique to remove the organs for an autopsy. It involves taking out all the organs in one piece, such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen etc. Then, the organs are separated and examined one by one on the autopsy table. The forensic pathologist will collect small samples of tissue from each organ for further analysis under the microscope.
5. Removing the brain
To remove the brain, an incision is made in the back of the scalp from one ear to the other. The scalp is cut and separated from the underlying skull and pulled forward. The top of the skull is removed using a vibrating saw. The entire brain is then gently lifted out of the cranial vault.
The brain is then either cut fresh or placed in a 20 per cent solution of formalin to fix it for future analysis with the consent of the Coroner and the senior next of kin.
6. Examining the organs
All organs, except for the intestines and stomach are weighed. The pathologist drains the intestines in a sink to remove any undigested food and faeces that remain. The stomach is cut open and the contents are examined.
7. Returning organs to the body
Following the examination, organs are returned to the body except for the small fragments of tissue sampled for microscopic examination. The organs are replaced in the body cavities. Sometimes absorbent, filler material is used to replace organs that are not returned.
The Coroner and the senior next of kin will be notified of any organs and/or larger fragments of tissue retained after the examination has been completed. The senior next of kin is asked about preference to return these retained specimens to the body and or respectful disposal thereof after the investigation has been completed.
8. Sewing up the body
After the pathologist has finished the examination and the organs are returned to the body, the post-mortem technician will sew back up the body.
Once the Y incision and the head are sewn up, the autopsy (without brain and tissue analysis) is complete. The stitching of the incision is like that on a baseball.