Background: Medicolegal postmortem examinations are performed as mandatory legal procedures for establishing the cause of death for people dying in circumstances where multiple causes of death could be ascribed. Objective: To conduct complete-enumeration analysis of demographic details and causes of death from postmortem examination records at a municipal teaching hospital in Thane city, Maharashtra state, India. Materials and Methods: Data recorded on the postmortem records from Jan 1, 2009 to Dec 31, 2014 (6 years) were analyzed. Result: Of the 3,137 cases analyzed, 27.41% were females (mean age=32.95 years; SD = 20.43 years; and 72.59% were males (mean age = 37.42 years; SD = 16.78 years). The identity of 11.16% of the deceased could not be established. Major causes of death were trauma (27.26%), asphyxia and hanging (15.3%), coronary artery disease (11.59%), tuberculosis (11.04%), alcoholic liver disease (6.41%), lower respiratory tract infections (6.64%), and drowning (6.18%). Opinion about the cause of death was reserved and the viscera preserved for 30.41% cases and 41% infant deaths. The difference in proportion of deaths due to electrocution in various areas of Thane city was significant (p = 0.00005; OR = 0.327). Conclusion: Trauma, infectious and lifestyle diseases, and obstetric causes (postpartum haemorrhage and ruptured ectopic gestation) were major causes of deaths. Infant deaths occurred due to completely avoidable drowning and electrocution. A high percentage of postmortem examinations needed laboratory confirmation for establishing the cause of death.
Background: Trauma is a largely preventable cause of death. Trauma can be avoided and death can be averted if timely medical services are made available. Hence it is important to know the causes of trauma, the factors associated with it and the types of fatal injuries associated with these causes.Methods: A ten years record based study of the autopsies conducted in the Forensic Medicine department of a rapidly growing metropolitan area was undertaken from the autopsy registers and post mortem records.Results: It was noted that the young age groups of 16 to 30 years and 31 to 40 years are most vulnerable. Major cause of trauma was road traffic accidents, followed by fall from height. Other causes are Rail accidents, domestic accidents, building collapse and industrial accidents. Head injuries and shock with hemorrhage are the major causes of death due to trauma.Conclusions: Overall, males and younger population forms a major proportion of trauma victims. Among female victims the major causes of trauma were domestic accidents and house collapse and among male victims road traffic accidents, fall from height and railway accidents were major causes.
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