Medicolegal Autopsies - Interesting and Incidental Findings

An autopsy consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury. This is a retrospective study of seven years where organs of total 53 medicolegal post - mortems were examined for histopathological lesions. The commonest cause of death was pulmonary edema. The most common incidental finding was Atherosclerosis which was associated with high risk factors of alcohol consumption and smoking. Autopsy cause of death and contributing findings were based on the macro - and microscopic post-mortem findings combined with clinical information. Incidental histopathologic findings may not be found to influence the cause of death but nonetheless reveal many interesting facts related to epidemiology, which help in academic and research purpose. The significance of a careful postmortem examination can be summed up in the old saying “the dead teach the living”.