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Autopsy study of pediatric deaths
S R Dalal1, M V Jadhav, S D Deshmukh
1Department of Pathology, B.J. Medical College, Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune, India. shefdalal@hotmail.com
Insights
Pediatric autopsies reveal birth asphyxia as a leading cause of neonatal death. Infections, particularly respiratory and enteric, were primary causes of infant and childhood mortality, highlighting the importance of autopsy in understanding child deaths.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Pediatric Pathology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood autopsies provide critical data on mortality causes.
- Limited published data exists on pediatric autopsy findings.
- Understanding causes of death in neonates, infants, and children is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review childhood autopsies conducted between January 1997 and December 1999.
- To analyze the causes of death in pediatric patients.
- To contribute to a better understanding of mortality patterns in neonates, infants, and children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of childhood autopsies.
- Analysis of 1,445 total autopsies, with a focus on 441 pediatric cases (30.5%).
- Categorization of deaths by age group: neonatal, infant, and childhood.
Main Results:
- Neonatal deaths constituted 70.3% of pediatric autopsies.
- Birth asphyxia was the leading cause of neonatal death (57.7%).
- Infections were the predominant cause of infant and childhood mortality (67.2%), with respiratory infections (46.1%) and enteric fever (33.3%) being significant contributors. Discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses occurred in 6.6% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Autopsy remains an essential clinical tool for accurate diagnosis and physician education.
- This study provides valuable insights into pediatric mortality patterns.
- Findings underscore the significance of addressing birth asphyxia and infections to reduce child mortality.
Objective:
Childhood autopsies occurring during January 1997 to December 1999 were reviewed.
Method:
Of the total 1,445 deaths autopsied, 441 (30.5%) were of pediatric patients.
Result:
Of these deaths, 70.3% occurred during neonatal period, 8.6% in infancy, and 21.1% in childhood. Birth asphyxia (57.7%) was the most frequent mode of death in the neonatal period. Infections (67.2%) predominantly accounted for infant and childhood mortality, those of respiratory tract (46.1%) being most frequent in infancy, early and mid childhood, and enteric fever in late childhood (33.3%). Discrepancy between ante-mortem and post-mortem diagnosis occurred in 29 cases (6.6%).
Conclusion:
Autopsy is an important clinical tool providing useful information to the physician. Few published reports are available on pediatric autopsies. This study aims to help in a better understanding of causes of deaths in neonates, infants and children.