Litvinenko’s autopsy ‘a dangerous job’

Pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary leaves after giving evidence on the second day of an inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on January 28, 2015. Photo: Alastair Grant

Pathologist Dr Nathaniel Cary leaves after giving evidence on the second day of an inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on January 28, 2015. Photo: Alastair Grant

Published Jan 29, 2015

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London - The post-mortem examination of poisoned spy Alexander Litvinenko was “one of the most dangerous ever undertaken in the Western world”, a pathologist revealed on Wednesday.

Dr Nathaniel Cary said the former KGB agent was carried to a secure room in two body bags because of the radiation coming from it.

Taking no chances with safety during the three-hour autopsy, pathologists each wore two biochemical suits, two pairs of gloves and specialised hoods fitted with battery-powered breathing packs to avoid being contaminated by polonium-210.

An expert was also on hand to wipe off any blood spatters and to monitor the team for any effects of radiation poisoning, the public inquiry into Litvinenko’s death was told.

Home Office pathologist Dr Cary said paramedics were also on standby because “it would have been a disaster if anyone had fainted or had an acute medical problem”.

Describing how the London Ambulance Service had put a “casualty evacuation” plan in place, he added: “I think it was felt that this was such a dangerous post-mortem to carry out that we really only wanted to do it once if at all possible.

“It has been described as one of the most dangerous post-mortem examinations ever undertaken in the Western world, and I think that’s probably right.”

The former spy and critic of Vladimir Putin died from acute radiation poisoning in 2006 after two Russian hitmen are said to have laced his tea with polonium-210 at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.

Dr Cary had earlier told the inquiry how the body had presented a “considerable hazard” on the intensive unit it was on at University College Hospital, London.

After sealing the room and taking a tissue sample from Litvinenko’s right thigh, the body was wrapped in two body bags before being taken to a secure room for examination, he said.

The Royal Courts of Justice were told how Litvinenko had ingested a large quantity of polonium-210 and the amount his body absorbed was “in far excess of known survivability limits”.

Dr Carey added: “In terms of weight it’s a very tiny amount, but in terms of polonium-210 it is a large quantity.”

Litvinenko, 43, is the first recorded person to have been killed by the highly radioactive chemical - a billionth of a gram of which is fatal and one gram could be enough to kill 100 million people.

The inquiry heard that polonium-210 emits alpha radiation rather than gamma radiation.

That means it is only dangerous if it gets inside the body, where it continuously bombards cells as it is distributed around. The court was also told how hospital doctors were initially baffled over the cause of Litvinenko’s deteriorating condition.

Two days before his death medics decided “on a hunch” to carry out specific tests which showed up polonium-210 poisoning.

Another pathologist, Dr Benjamin Swift, said diagnosis was difficult because it was the “only case in the world”.

“It would not have been forefront in the thought process of anyone and would not have been identified in routine toxicology,” he said.

Ben Emerson QC, representing the Litvinenko family, suggested it would be a good poison for anyone who wanted the cause of death to go undetected.

He said: “The rarity of polonium-210 agent makes it so hard to detect. He was dying slowly over 23 days. It was not until the last day of his life polonium was identified. If this poison was administered as a means of murdering it would be very difficult for the cause of death to be identified.

“Whoever made that decision (to use polonium-210) must have had access to a very highly specialised degree of scientific knowledge.”

The hearing continues.

Daily Mail

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