Undetermined Manner of Death: An Autopsy Series |
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| Authors: | Anne‐Sophie Advenier MD Nadege Guillard MD Jean‐Claude Alvarez MD PhD Laurent Martrille MD Geoffroy Lorin de la Grandmaison MD PhD |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Versailles‐Saint‐Quentin University, AP‐HP, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France;2. Additional information and reprint requests:;3. Anne‐Sophie Advenier, M.D.;4. Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology;5. Versailles‐Saint‐Quentin University;6. AP‐HP, Raymond Poincaré Hospital;7. 104 Boulevard Raymond Poincaré;8. 92380 Garches;9. France;10. E‐mail:;11. Laboratory of Toxicology, Versailles‐Saint‐Quentin University, AP‐HP, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France;12. Department of Forensic Medicine, Nancy Hospital, Vand?uvre‐lès‐Nancy, France |
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| Abstract: | A manner of death may be ruled undetermined by the forensic pathologist when there is insufficient information about the circumstances surrounding the death to make a ruling. The aim of our study was to retrospectively analyze a series of autopsy cases that were classified as undetermined manner of death after complete investigations. In all, 48 cases were examined. In 23 cases (48%), the cause of death was determined. The most frequent cause of death was toxic death (n = 11). More than one manner of death was deemed conceivable for most cases (n = 39). The most frequent and the most probable manner of death was accident (n = 37). Homicide was not excluded in about 23% of the cases. Our study showed that the manner of death may remain undetermined despite an established cause of death, and even when two or more conceivable causes of death are considered. Our study pointed out that undetermined manner of death covers a wide range of situations and that homicide may be underestimated. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science forensic pathology manner of death cause of death classification autopsy homicide |
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