AN AUTOPSY-BASED STUDY ON THE PATTERNS OF INJURIES OF BURN CASES IN JORHAT DISTRICT, ASSAM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2024.v17i6.50700Keywords:
Burn injuries, Autopsy,, Burnt skin histopathology, SepticemiaAbstract
Objective: This autopsy-based study aimed to determine the incidence of burn-related fatalities in Jorhat District, Assam, identify associated factors, investigate injury patterns and severity, explore contributing factors, examine the relationship between injuries and cause of death, differentiate between dermo-epidermal and deep burns, investigate circumstances surrounding burn injuries, and offer recommendations for prevention and forensic investigation improvements.
Methods: Data were collected from medico-legal autopsies conducted at the Mortuary of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Jorhat, between May 11, 2020, and May 10, 2021. Demographic information, burn characteristics, autopsy findings, and circumstances of injuries were analyzed.
Results: Out of 628 medico-legal autopsies, burn-related deaths comprised 7.32% of cases. Victims with 51–60% total body surface area burns were most common (23.91%). Burns often occurred indoors, notably in kitchens (56.52%) and bedrooms (26.08%), with a majority in closed rooms (54.35%). Synthetic (47.82%) or cotton (41.30%) clothing was prevalent, and kerosene was common in alleged suicidal cases (23.92%). Most victims died within 24 h (43.46%), primarily due to shock (52.17%), and septicemia (45.65%). Dermo-epidermal burns were prevalent (93.47%), and deaths were mainly accidental (65.21%). Histopathological analysis revealed dermis and epidermis separation (82.60%), flattened and elongated epithelial cells (73.91%), congestion (76.09%), leukocyte infiltration (73.91%), capillary dilatation (67.39%), and edema (67.39%).
Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive insights into burn injury characteristics, circumstances, and consequences. Recommendations include preventive measures and improvements in forensic investigation practices related to burn injuries, offering valuable implications for health care, forensic medicine, and public awareness initiatives.
Downloads
References
Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. [Annual Report]; 2020- 2021. New Delhi: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; 2021. Available from: https://main.mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/annual/ [report]/2020-21/english.pdf [Last accessed on 2021 Jul 06].
Kappan R. 35 Indians die in Fire Accidents Daily, NCRB Deccan Herald; 2020. Available from: https://www.deccanherald.com/ national/35-indians-die-in-fire-accidents-daily-norb-801310.html [Last accessed on 2021 Mar 28].
Choudhury NM, Ray S, Das G. Histopathological changes of skin in antemortem burn injuries. MedPulse Int J Forensic Med. 2017 Mar;1(3):25-8.
Afify MM, Mahmoud NF, Abd El Azzim GM, El Desouky NA. Fatal burn injuries: A five year retrospective autopsy study in Cairo city, Egypt. Egypt J Forensic Sci. 2012;2(4):117-22. doi: 10.1016/j. ejfs.2012.08.002
Mazumder A, Patowary A. A study of pattern of burn injury cases. J Indian Acad Forensic Med. 2013;35(1):44-6.
Mishra PK, Tomar J, Sane MR, Saxena D, Yadav A. Profile of death in burn cases: A post-mortem study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med. 2016;38(1):8. doi: 10.5958/0974-0848.2016.00001.4
Gupta M, Gupta OK, Yaduvanshi RK, Upadhyaya J. Burn epidemiology: The Pink city scene. Burns. 1993;22:47-51.
Subrahmanyam M. Epidemiology of burns in a district hospital in Western India. Burns. 1996;22(6):439-42. doi: 10.1016/0305- 4179(96)00001-0, PMID: 8884001
Chawla R, Chanana A, Rai H, Aggarwal AD, Singh H, Sharma G. A two-year burns fatality study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med. 2011 Oct- Dec;32(4):292-6.
Gupta R, Kumar V, Tripathi SK. Profile of the fatal burn deaths from the Varanasi region, India. J Clin Diagn Res. 2012 May;6(4):608-11.
Das KC, Gogoi NK, Gupta VP, Phukan S. Burn deaths: A five-year retrospective autopsy study of flame burn victims in Jorhat, Assam, India. MedPulse Int Med J. 2017 Jan;4(1):49-54.
Debbarma S. Pattern of flame burn injury in Dibrugarh district of Assam: An autopsy-based analysis. Indian J Forensic Community Med. 2021;7(4):170-5. doi: 10.18231/j.ijfcm.2020.037
Nath D. A Statistical Study of Pattern of Ante-mortem Burn Injuries in Medicolegal Autopsies [Doctoral Dissertation]. Gauhati University; 2008.
Ashkan G, Patel C, Hyder AA. A systematic review of the epidemiology of unintentional burn injuries in South Asia. J Public Health (Oxf). 2013;35(3):384-96.
Paul B. A Histo-morphological Study of Lungs in Deaths Due to Burn Injuries Brought for Medico-legal Autopsy at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital Mortuary [Doctoral Dissertation]. Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences; 2014. 16. Kumar V, Mohanty MK, Kanth S. Fatal burns in Manipal area: A 10 year study. J Forensic Leg Med. 2007;14(1):3-6. doi: 10.1016/j. jcfm.2005.09.002, PMID: 17046310
Manigandaraj G, Selvakumar R. Pattern and trends of deaths related to burns. MedPulse Int J Forensic Med. 2021 Jan;17(2):10-5.
Tasgaonkar GV, Zine KU, Meshram VP, Parchake MB, Sukhdeve RB, Hosmani DH. Study of trends of burn deaths at Aurangabad region in India. Sch J Appl Med Sci. 2015;3(5C):2013-8.
Buchade D, Kukde H, Dere R, Savardekar R. Pattern of burns cases brought to morgue, Sion Hospital, Mumbai: A two year study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med. 2011 Oct-Dec;33(4):311-2.
Goswami P, Singodia P, Sinha AT, Tudu T. Five-year epidemiological study of burn patients admitted in burns care unit, Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. Ind J Burns. 2016;24(1):41. doi: 10.4103/0971-653X.195536
Sevitt S. Histopathological changes in burned skin. In: Burns Pathology and Therapeutic Applications. United Kingdom: Butterworths and Co. Ltd.; 1957. p. 18-27.
Mant AK. Death from physical and chemical injury, starvation and neglect. In: Taylor’s Principle and Practice of Medical Jurisprudence. 13th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 1984. p. 251-3, 257-8.
Emanuel R, John LF. Environmental and Nutritional Pathology. Philadelphia, PA: J. B. Lippincott Publishers; 1988. p. 303-4.
Ritchie AC. Physical injury. In: Boyd’s Textbook of Pathology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lea and Febiger; 1990. p. 567-8.
Parikh CK. Thermal injuries. In: Parikh’s Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology. 6th ed. Bhopal, Mumbai: CBS Publication; 2002. p. 4.156.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Dipankar Thakuria, Dr. Bikki Lama, Dr. Ved Prakash Gupta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The publication is licensed under CC By and is open access. Copyright is with author and allowed to retain publishing rights without restrictions.
