Prevention of occupational cyanide exposure in autopsy prosectors.

Autopsy prosectors examining individuals with cyanide poisoning are at risk for occupational cyanide exposure. No protective autopsy precautions to mitigate this risk have been published. We report an autopsy on an individual with cyanide poisoning where the procedure was performed in a negatively pressured isolation room and the stomach was opened under a biosafety cabinet hood. None of the three autopsy prosectors had measurable cyanide in pre or post procedure blood specimens. We recommend that similar precautions be taken in all autopsies where cyanide is suspected as a possible cause of death.