Retrospective analysis of pattern of injuries and cause of death in unclaimed dead bodies brought to Mortuary of Private Medical Institute

Abstract

Introduction: Establishment of identity is required both in living and dead bodies and in both civil and criminal cases. Unclaimed body is defined as dead person who had no next of kin or no relative or no authorized representative willing to make final disposition of the remains.Aims and objective: The aim of this study was to determine the pattern and distribution of injuries and to find out the cause of the death in unclaimed bodies.Material and methods: In this retrospective study all the autopsies of unclaimed body from September 2018 to August 2022 were included.Results: A total 75 unclaimed body were brought to mortuary for autopsy. Out of 75 cases, 65 (87%) were male and 10 (13 %) were female. Majority of unclaimed bodies in this study belonged to age group 40-50. Contusion on the body was most common type of external injury. Lower limb was most common body part for external injuries. Skull was most common site for fracture. Temporal and temporoparietal were most common cranial bone fractured. Mandible was most common facial bone fractured. Liver laceration was most common internal organ injured in unclaimed bodies. Subarachnoid haemorrhage was most common intracranial haemorrhage. Most common cause of death in the present study was haemorrhage and shock due to antemortem injury.Conclusions: Identification of unclaimed dead body need to be increased by police workforce. Bodies which are unclaimed should be brought to mortuary just after prompt investigation so that autopsy should be started before decomposition which may interfere with autopsy finding and even in identification of the unclaimed body. Colour photography, DNA sampling, finger printing and maintaining dental records should be done for every unclaimedbody.