Autopsy based analysis of unidentified dead bodies in a tertiary care hospital of South India

Abstract

Increasing number of the unknown dead body is also described as the silent mass disaster. The identification of cadavers is a key issue  in autopsy and equally important for ethical, criminal and civil reasons. This prospective study was conducted during the period from  January 2016 to December 2016 at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Over 152 cases of unidentified dead bodies, brought for  postmortem examination were included in this study. The study observed seasonal variation in the unidentified corpse brought for  autopsy, with a male sex predilection. Most of the victims were in the age group of 50 to 60 years with the majority of the cases being  reported as road traffic accidents. The cause of death in unidentified dead bodies was highly variable. The most commonly applied  method for identification of dead bodies in India is visual and other customary means of identification. Identifying the dead body is the  essential criteria in the process of medico-legal autopsy and we are supporting the investigating officers in identifying the deceased by  various techniques like fingerprints, superimposition, blood grouping and DNA fingerprinting. Even though the modern and more  accurate techniques are available for identification, the usage is limited than the expected outcome because of the limited availability  of data for comparison. By improving and increasing the availability of data by means of Aadhar linking or data bank we could ensure  that the suffering of a family comes to an end, and for dignified disposal of corpses.