Resumen

HURTADO DE MENDOZA AMAT, José et al. Autopsies performed at "Dr. Luis Diaz Soto" hospital from 1962 to 1995. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 1997, vol.26, n.2, pp. 122-128. ISSN 1561-3046.

A number of 10 099 autopsies performed between December, 1962 and December, 1985 were processed in order to know the main information contained in the databank of autopsies performed at "Dr: Luis Díaz Soto"hospital, created by the Automated System of Register and Control of Pathologic Anatomy. Of these autopsies 7 886 of adult subjects were studied in particular. Male sex predominated, as well as the 65-74 years old age group. The most represented specialties were Internal Medicine, Intensive Therapy, and Emergency Medicine. The principal basic causes of death were cardiovascular disorders, especially atherosclerosis, and malignant tumors, particularly lung cancer. The complications were in agreement with the principal direct or intermediate causes of death. In general, cardiovascular disorders, infections, malignant tumors, and multiorgan damage constituted the groups with a higher frequency as a cause of death in associated morbidity. Between 1987 and 1995 there was a 32.6% of diagnostic discrepancies regarding the basic causes of death and 28.5% with respect to direct or intermediate causes of death. The importance of the study the direct and intermediate causes of death (multicausality),the evaluation of the quality of premorten diagnosis, and the usefulness of the creation of an autopsy databank were higlighted in order to continue this study.

Palabras clave : AUTOPSY; DATABASE; FACTUAL; CAUSE OF DEATH; QUALITY CONTROL.