Medical Accidents and Constitutions

, Gook Jin Moon

Original Article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 1987;11(1):50-57.

Department of Legal Medicine, Korea University, College of Medicine, Institute of Legal Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

When an apparently healthy person dies suddenly and unexpectedly without adequate cause for the death is found at autopsy, the possibility of the death is caused by predispositions of the body and motives such as overexertion, physical exercise, mental excitement, sexual Intercourse, alcohol drinking, insignificant trauma and medical care. Especially sudden unexpectedly deaths after medical care bring on disputes between patients and physicians, in such cases, explanation of cause of death is very important for solution of dispute. Often, however, the explanation of cause of death have been used constitution, idiosyncracy, hypersensitiveness, side effect and extention effect etc. without appropriate conception. Therefore, author discussed exact medical conception of constitution and its medicolegal problems such as anticipating possibility of constitution, Irresistability and cause effect relationship and decision of malpractice and necessity of autopsy.