Introduction: Of all the regional injuries, those over the regions like, head and neck cause maximum morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: To assess the pattern and manner of injuries from autopsy profiles where death took place out of injuries over head and neck regions in cases where head and neck injury were the sole causes of death.

Methodology: A prospective mortuary-based study with repeat cross-sectional design was conducted for one year among all the dead bodies brought to the police morgue of Nilratan Sarkar medical college and hospital, where death was caused by injuries over head and neck regions. The sample size was 104. A pre-designed, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Through external examination of the whole body was done and the surface injuries were noted with their fullest context. Color photographs were taken from different angles. Police inquest report was corroborated with the findings from clinical records, investigation reports &/or the surgical notes, if any.

Results: Road traffic injury was the most common cause behind fatal head and neck injuries. External injuries over face along with scalp hematoma and fissured fracture over skull were in majority. Temporal bone fracture was very commonly noted among the skull fractures and anterior cranial fossa was major site. Intracranial hemorrhage, especially subdural hemorrhage was commonly noted. In neck, trachea and carotid artery were commonly injured.

Conclusion: head and neck trauma, besides creating challenge towards medicos, carries a great concern for medico-legal experts also.

Keywords: autopsy, mortuary, inquest, medico-legal.

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Dr Satabdi Mitra

Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, JIMS & Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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