Retrospective evaluation of legal autopsy cases submitted for histopathologic examination to the İnonu University Faculty of Medicine Departmenf of Pathology between the years 2008-2010 in regard to the final cause of death

Introduction and aim: Autopsy still remains as an invaluable tool in obtaining and transferring knowledge in spite of rapid improvements in medical science and new developments in imaging techniques. The aim of this study is to reveal the final cause of death, range of age and gender, classifying the cause of death in respect to organ systems, delineating the impact of histopathologic evaluation to the cause of death in regard to the decisive legal procedure in autopsy cases.Materials and methods: 465 legal autopsy cases submitted for histopathologic examination to the Inonu University Faculty of Medicine Department of Pathology between 2008-2010 were reevaluated and final cause of death was assessed by gathering scene investigations, legal autopsy reports and toxicologic results.Findings: Cases submitted to legal autopsies were mostly between 15-49 age group with male gender dominating, the most frequent cause of death was found to be due to natural reasons and wounding by firearms was the most frequent cause among unnatural deaths. Histopathologic examination was decisive in 36.13 %, supportive in 53.97 % of cases. In 6,45% of cases the cause of death could not be revealed (negative autopsy).Conclusion: Histopathologic examination of organs in addition to obtaining history of individuals and scenes, investigative notes, gross autopsy findings, toxicologic results all together could reveal the cause of death in legal autopsies. The direct impact of histopathologic examination in revealing the cause of death was found to be as high as 36.13 %.Key Words: Legal autopsy, cause of death, histopathology