Comparison of Clinical and Autopsy Diagnosis of Cause of Death at KLES’S Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belgaum”– A One Year Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background and objectives: ABSTRACT The approach of clinician to the investigation of death is different from that of the autopsy surgeon. Despite medical and technologic advances, clinicians may misdiagnose a patient’s situation and the cause of death. Autopsy may be valuable in uncovering the most frequent diagnostic pitfalls. Hence this present study was conducted to study the autopsy diagnosis of cause of death, compare the clinical and autopsy diagnosis of cause of death, evaluate the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of cause of death, and study the age and sex wise distribution of medico legal cases autopsied. Methodology: The present cross sectional study was carried out on the victim’s of medico legal cases, who died in the KLES’s Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & medical research centre, Belgaum and subsequently autopsied, during the period from 01-01-2008 to 31-12-2008. Observation and results: Out of the total medico legal autopsies conducted during the study period 100, RTA related deaths were 58 accounted for 58%. Burns cases were 24 which constituted for 24% of the total cases followed by poisoning cases 8 which constituted for 8%. There were 4 cases of fall from height ( 4% ) , snake bite 3 ( 3% ) cases and 3 ( 3% ) hanging cases. Only in 7 ( 7% ) of the cases there was total disagreement in the opinion for cause of death between the clinical diagnosis and the autopsy diagnosis. In RTA there was disagreement in 6( 6% ) of the cases and in poisoning 1( 1% ) case. In all other 93( 93% ) of the cases there was total agreement for the cause of death. VII Conclusion and interpretation: The overall disagreement for the diagnosis of cause of death between clinical and autopsy diagnosis was in 7( 7% ) cases, out of 100 cases studied. In these cases, knowledge of the correct diagnosis would have altered therapy. Although the autopsy is being undermined, they are still the most accurate method of determining the cause of death and auditing accuracy of clinical diagnosis, diagnostic tests and death certification.