To Study the Pattern of Histopathological Findings in Cases of Medicolegal Autopsies

Abstract

BACKGROUND Medicolegal autopsy is an important procedure to ascertain the causes of sudden and unexplained deaths. It provides direct access to organ and tissues which otherwise is not possible with other diagnostic modalities. In addition to the morphological examination of tissues and organs we can also take representative samples from these tissues and organs. These samples may be subjected to histopathological examination and biochemical examination. These types of examinations prove quite helpful in cases of poisoning and sudden unexplained deaths where simple morphological examination may be inconclusive. It provides us an opportunity to study the natural course of evolution of many diseases. Incidental histopathological findings in autopsy also prove useful to account for many clinically undiagnosed diseases in the community like clinically undiagnosed neoplasms, infections and inflammatory diseases. We wanted to study the pattern of histopathological findings in medicolegal autopsy specimens and also age and sex distribution of cases of medicolegal autopsies. METHODS This prospective and descriptive study was conducted on three hundred and twenty specimens received randomly from one hundred and four cases of medicolegal autopsies irrespective of cause of death in Department of Pathology, Government medical college, Jammu. The specimens were processed and then stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. RESULTS Maximum patients were seen in the age group of 31-40 yrs. (37.5%) followed by 21- 30 yrs. (25.9%). Males constituted (70.1%), females constituted about (29.8 %). Most common organ received was heart (31.8%), lung (30.6%) and liver (30.3%). Most common cause of death was sudden death 31(29.8%), myocardial infarction 21(20.1%), poisoning 20 (19.2%), assault 7 (6.7%), drowning 7 (6.7%), hanging 6(5.7%), road traffic accidents 5 (4.8%), firearm injuries 4 (3.8%) and electrocution 3 (2.8%). The lungs constituted 44.1% of all the histopathological findings, heart (20.5%), liver (10.2 %) kidney (7.3 %), spleen (5.8%), brain (4.4%), skin and neck structures (4.4%) and uterus (2.9%). CONCLUSIONS Atherosclerosis has become quite frequent cause of sudden and unexplained death in younger age group. So, we need to educate this age group about healthy lifestyle and importance of prophylactic screening to those having risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. KEY WORDS Medicolegal Autopsy, Sudden Death, Atherosclerosis