A survey on cases of post-op death referred to the autopsy hall of L.M.O in Tehran from 2001-2002

One of the tasks of forensic medicine is to study the cases of death during or following surgical operations invasive diagnostic procedures or anaesthesia. The study was done on 400 cases of post-op death using examination, autopsy and toxicologic analytic tests. Death was most common among 20-29 year olds (21%), and happened more in men (84%) Than in women (16%). The most common cause of operation was subdural haematoma (34.89%). It was seen more in emergency surgeries (91.8%) Than in elective ones (8.2%). The commonest age group was 20—29 years old people with %21; death for men %84 and for women %16. The commonest reason for surgery operation was subdural hematoma (%34.89). %91.8 of emergency surgery operations and %8.2 of elective ones was led to death. Cases of death caused by operation in emergencies were mostly in neurosurgery and general surgery with %58 and %34.6 of occurrence respectively. Also in nonemergency cases, neurosurgical operations (%45.5) and orthopedic operations (%30.3) led to death more than other types of operation. Cases of death in emergency and elective surgeries with %68.9 and %60.6 of occurrence have occurred in public hospitals. Among 400 cases of death caused by surgery only %3.5 died during the operation. Among these 400 cases, %84.3 died of blunt trauma injuries, %5.5 of injuries by pointed or sharp-edge weapons and primary illness led to death in %10.2. The most common cause of death was head injury because of blunt trauma(%49). In this study, the main reason for having a surgical operation was bleeding in brain membranes (%44.6) but in similar foreign studies operation death was mostly related to gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders. The difference is possibly due to the large number of accidents in Iran.