Postmortem Organ Weights at a South African Mortuary

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Anthropometry
• Medical Statistics

Background:

• Objective evidence of pathology can be obtained by weighing organs during autopsy.
• Accurate, locally relevant, and regularly updated reference ranges for organ weights are essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate postmortem organ weight reference ranges specific to South African populations.
• To analyze demographic factors (sex, race, age, body weight) influencing organ weights.
• To compare South African organ weights with international data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1262 autopsy reports from a Cape Town mortuary (2013-2016).
• Inclusion of traumatic, on-scene deaths in adults, excluding diseased or injured organs.
• Stratified sampling to ensure representation across sex, race, and age groups.

Main Results:

• Multiple linear regression identified sex, race, and body weight as significant predictors of organ weight.
• South African organs, particularly from African and colored individuals, tend to be smaller than those from white individuals and international populations.
• Proposed ideal organ weight reference ranges and a predictive smartphone application.

Conclusions:

• This research provides vital postmortem organ weight data for the South African population.
• The findings highlight the need for localized reference ranges in forensic and clinical practice.