An epidemiological retrospective profile of medico-legal autopsy cases reported at a tertiary care center in Dhulikhel, Nepal

Abstract

Autopsy is a systematic scientific examination of dead body that helps in manifesting the information about the cause of death in case of an unnatural death. Medico legal autopsy profiling helps to understand the nature of casualties, it helps to assess the social and economic profile for understanding the nature of crime in particular area, helps to address the demographic needs according to the mortality statistics specific to that region and helpful to identify the need necessary to take preventive measures to stop the crime or unnatural deaths by means of spreading awareness and psychological course. This study aims to analyses the pattern of autopsy cases with manner and various causes of death which was conducted in a tertiary level hospital. This is a retrospective study conducted over a period of one year (Oct 2020 to Oct 2021) at Dhulikhel hospital, Nepal. During the study period on one year, a total of 258 cases of medicolegal autopsies were performed at Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Out of the 258 cases analyzed maximum incidence of the postmortems were reported in the age group of 43.80% was reported from 20 to 39 years aged group which are the most productive years in one’s life. The maximum incidence of the postmortems was reported in the male population of 70.54% compared to the female population (29.46%). Our strongest conclusion is that male/female differences in medicolegal autopsies are highly dependent on historical time and geographic location. The maximum incidence 32.56% was reported within 6 – 12 hours’ time group and minimum incidence 12.02% was reported within 0 – 6 hours’ time group. The maximum incidence 48.06% was reported from Suicide group and minimum incidence 6.20% was reported from Homicide group. The maximum incidence 33.72% was reported by Hanging group and minimum incidence 0.39% were reported from Choking and Traumatic Asphyxia groups during the medicolegal autopsies, , , , ,