A review on role of autopsy in the diagnosis of sudden arrhythmic deaths

Abstract

Sudden death (SD) is described as “death within 24 hours from the earliest manifestation, without any proof of violence and with no pre-existing disease, where no cause of death can be identified clinically”. In about 5%–10% of cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD), no underlying heart disease can be found at autopsy. Mostly these are the arrhythmic SCD and have a morphologically normal heart. There is a scope for uncertainty among relatives and/or investigating authorities regarding the cause & manner of death specifically in unattended sudden cardiac death. The postmortem examination must include detailed history or clinically relevant information of the deceased, his/her family members, macroscopic, microscopic, toxicological & molecular examination.