Abstract

Background:
Autopsies are essential for retrospective quality assessment of clinical diagnoses and medical education, providing insights into disease pathology and treatment efficacy. Despite advancements in diagnostic techniques, autopsies remain crucial for validating diagnoses and overlooked conditions.

Aim:
This study explores the histopathological findings of autopsies at a tertiary care medical college in Northeastern India, highlighting prevalent diseases and demographic distributions.

Methods:
This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 115 autopsy samples collected from April 2022 to April 2024 at a teaching hospital in Northeast India. Properly preserved samples were included. Ethical clearance was obtained, and data on patient history, socio-demographic details, and histopathological findings were collected. The variables analyzed included age, sex, gross evaluation, and histopathology. Data were expressed as frequencies and percentages, and the relationships between demographic variables and disease patterns were evaluated using the chisquare test with SPSS version 23.0.

Results:
Of the 115 cases, 53.9% were male and 46.1% were female, with the highest frequency in the 21–30 years age group (27.8%). The most common liver pathology was steatosis (37.8%), followed by hepatitis (11.1%) and haemorrhage (8.9%). In the lungs, alveolar haemorrhage (43.2%) and pigment deposition (27%) were predominant. Acute tubular necrosis (75%) was the most common kidney finding, whereas the heart showed mostly unremarkable findings (86.7%). Cerebral oedema was the most common brain pathology (16.7%).

Conclusion:
This study provides insights into the histopathological findings of autopsy cases in Northeast India. The results align with other regional and global studies, underscoring the importance of autopsies in understanding disease patterns and informing public health strategies. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore regional variations.

Key words: Autopsy, Histopathology, Disease Patterns, Epidemiology