Six-year analysis of postmortem examination records at a teaching hospital - demographic profile and causes of deaths

Abstract

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.

A Study of Unnatural Death Profile in Mangalore, Southern India 2011-2020

“…This finding of a preponderance of R.T.A.s amongst medicolegal autopsies is not in agreement with studies reported from some parts of India. 17,18,31 The occurrence of suicidal and homicidal fatalities in our study wascomparable to those in other parts of India 20,29. This was true for cases seen in Norway as well, 29 but not in Great Britain and Libya,where suicides were low and homicidal deaths were greater in Libya, where it was twenty percent as contrasted to our 2.7%. 28 The occurrence of unnatural deaths was quite comparable to trends reported from various parts of India and globally.…”