Organ dissection — nervous system

Abstract

The routine removal of the brain has already been described in the evisceration chapter, page 69. This chapter details the routine examination, dissection and block selection of the brain. It then deals with the removal of the brain in a high-risk case. Following this, it describes various other special techniques that may be necessary in the examination of the nervous system, including the examination of the spinal cord, the removal of the eye, the examination of the cavernous sinus, the examination of the vertebral arteries and the examination of the neuromuscular and autonomic nervous systems. The examination of the pituitary gland is discussed in the endocrine system, see page 165. Although it is obviously impossible to include every conceivable situation, this chapter does deal with the vast majority of situations that are likely to be encountered by a non-specialist pathologist.