The academics of the Department actively pursue research in their field of interest.

Selected on-going research projects

• A retrospective descriptive study on deaths following drowning
  Paranitharan P, Perera WNS, Lakmal S, Priyanath DC
• Study on significance of scant inflammation in myocardium as a cause of death; to develop criteria for autopsy diagnosis of myocarditis based on inflammatory index (Funded by University of Kelaniya)
  Dr. IDG Kitulwatta & Dr. PAS Edirisinghe
• A Study of Elder abuse among outpatient department attendees in a Tertiary Hospital (Funded by University of Kelaniya)
  Dr. PAS Edirisinghe, Dr. P Paranithran, Dr.Shehan Willams, Dr.WNS Perera
• Estimation of stature and determination of sex of persons using femur in Sri Lankan population (Funded by University of Kelaniya)
  Dr.BPP Perera & Dr. WNS Perera
• A study on the relationship of alcohol intake & liver disease
  Dr. P. Paranitharan, Dr. W.N.S. Perera
• Public knowledge & attitude towards Autopsy; A study at NCTH in Sri Lanka
  Dr. W.N.S. Perera, Dr. B.P.P. Perera, Dr. P. Paranitharan
• Study on assessment of reaction time based on ruler drop test
  WARS Rajapaksha, Dr.I.G.D.Kitulwatte(Supervisor), Dr.P.A.S.Edirisinghe(Supervisor)
• Study on evaluation on knowledge attitude and practice of medical officers in related to basic Medico-legal and ethical issues encountered in medical practice.
  Dr.W.A.S.R.Wickramarachchi, Dr.P.A.S.Edirisinghe (Supervisor), Dr.I.G.D.Kitulwatte (Supervisor), Dr.M.N.P.Magammana

Policy Briefs

• Unnatural deaths of women and girls in sri lanka (prevention and justice). Anuruddhi Edirisinghe, Maithree Wicramasinghe, Indira Kitulwatte, Anusha Edirisinghe, Udara Senarathne, Handun Wijewardena, A. Pathmeswaran, P.Paranitharan, Annista Wijenayake, Nirmala Perera, Asvini Fernando, Dilini Chamali Walisundara. Policy issue No: 6; Population Matters. UNFPA. Feb 2018
• Reportage of unnatural deaths of women and girls in sri lankan newspapers. Anuruddhi Edirisinghe, Maithree Wicramasinghe, Indira Kitulwatte, Anusha Edirisinghe, Udara Senarathne, Handun Wijewardena, A. Pathmeswaran, P.Paranitharan, Annista Wijenayake, Nirmala Perera, Asvini Fernando, Dilini Chamali Walisundara. Policy issue No: 7; Population Matters. UNFPA. Feb 2018

Selected publications in index journals

• Kitulwatte IDG,Edirisinghe PAS. Alleged Homicidal Choking in a Woman Recovering From Guillain-Barré Acad Forensic Pathol. 2020 Jun;10(2):94-96. doi: 10.1177/1925362120953732. Epub 2020 Nov 25. PMID: 33282043; PMCID: PMC7691933.
• Kitulwatte IDG,Edirisinghe PAS. Study on existence of inflammation in the myocardium in unequivocal acute traumatic deaths. J Forensic Leg Med. 2020 Sep 13;75:102055. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.102055. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32949899.
• Nishshanka MB, Paranirubasingam P, Shepherd C. A forensic-based study on low angled AK rifle bullet entry wounds using a porcine model. J Forensic Leg Med. 2020 Aug;74:102025. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.102025. Epub 2020 Jul 18. PMID: 33012313.
• Edirisinghe PAS, Kitulwatte IDG, Nadeera DR. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding the use of digital photographs in the examination of the dead and living among doctors practicing forensic medicine in Sri Lanka. J Forensic Leg Med. 2020 Jul;73:101995. doi: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.101995. Epub 2020 May 30. PMID: 32658753.
• Nishshanka B, Shepherd C, Paranirubasingam P. Forensic based empirical study on ricochet behaviour of Kalashnikov bullets (7.62mm×39mm) on 1mm sheet metal. Forensic Sci Int. 2020 Jul;312:110313. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110313. Epub 2020 May 11. PMID: 32460224.
• Kitulwatte I D, Edirisinghe P A. An analysis of medicolegal reporting in workman injuries referred for medicolegal examination in a Tertiary Care Hospital Of Sri Lanka. Indian J Occup Environ Med 2020;24:55-9
• Indira Deepthi Gamage Kitulwatte, P.A.S. Edirishinghe. Trends and challenges of facial trauma presented for medico legal examination. Journal of South India Medicolegal Association. September 2018. 10(2):75-80
• Kitulwatte I.D.G. Death of a man managed for backache following a fall from a height. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law-May 2018-Vol.9 No.1. pp 7-11
• Kitulwatte I.D.G, Paranavithana S.S, Perera A.A.B.S & Edirisinghe P.A.S. Elderly victims dying of unnatural causes: a retrospective descriptive study from ragama, sri lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law-May 2018-Vol.9 No.1. pp 15-22
• Kitulwatte I, Gangahawatte S, Perera U, Edirisinghe P. Death following ceftazidime-induced Kounis syndrome. Med Leg J. 2017 Dec;85(4):215-218. doi: 10.1177/0025817217695904. Epub 2017 Feb 27.
• Edirisinghe A.S., Kitulwatte I.D., Senarathne U.D. A study into blood alcohol concentration in fatal accidents among vulnerable road users in a tertiary care hospital Sri Lanka, International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion 2015; 22(2): 158-64. doi: 10.1080/17457300.2013.857696. Epub 2013 Dec 16.
• Kitulwatte, Indira Deepthi, and P. A. S. Edirisinghe. A Study on Unsafe Abortion Presented for Medicolegal ExaminationAm J Forensic Med Pathol. (2015)
• Perera, W.N.S. & Mahendra, B.A.G.G., A sudden death following cardiomyopathy in a child. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law. 7(2), pp.6–10. 2017
• Paranitharan P,WNS Perera, W Rajapaksha,W. P. P. Perera, A Prospective study on clinical forensic cases examined at North Colombo Teaching hospital ; new challenges for the 21st century, Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka Vol. 6, No3, December 2015
• Perera WNS, Paranitharan P. Medical Ethics applied in Forensic Research; a revisit to the ethical guidelines. Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka Vol. 3, No2, December 2015
• Paranitharan P, Hulathduwa SR. Innovative instruments in Forensic Medicine. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine Science and Law. Vol 8 issue 2, 2017
• Kumara D.M.C.W , Kitulwatte I.D.G. Unexpected complications following an occupational injury. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science and Law. Volume 8. No 2. December 2017. pp. 13-17
• Kitulwatte IDG, Edirisinghe PAS, H.K.N.L. Pratheepa Mendis, Pavithra.R.Wijesinghe, Anton Fernando, A.A.Rishani M.Abeyrathne. Study on the pattern of Unnatural Deaths of Women Brought for Medico Legal Autopsy .Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science and Law. Volume 8. No 1. May 2017. pp. 13-22
• Gangahawatte S, Edirisinghe PAS, Kitulwatte IDG, A man with ischemic heart disease after consuming alcohol found collapsed while eating: A café coronary and intoxication- which cause proceeded the others?. Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science and Law. Volume 8. No 1. May 2017. pp. 4-7
• I.D.G. Kitulwatte, H.P. Wijewardena, P.A.S. Edirisinghe and U.D. Senarathne Forensic Medical Examination in Female Children Alleged to be Sexually Abused. Journal of Current Forensic Science Research, 2015, 1, 6-12
• Indira D. Kitulwatte, Michael S. Pollanen, A comparative study of coronary atherosclerosis in young and old. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. . Am J Forensic Med Pathol. Vol. 36 - Issue 4: p 323–326
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G.Patrick JH Kim, and Michael S. Pollanen. "Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalomyelitis in a man with viral myocarditis." Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology (2015): 1-5.
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G. , and P. A. S. Edirisinghe Relationship of sharp force injuries to motivationMedico-Legal Journal (2015)
• Paranitharan P,Perera WNS,Hulathduwa SR, BEYOND AUTOPSIES: TREADING NEW HORIZONS, Sri Lanka Journal of Forensic Medicine, Science & Law-May 2014-Vol.5 No.1
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G., W. R. A. S. Rajapaksha, P. A. S. Edirisinghe, W. N. S. Perera, N. A. S. P. Wijerathna, A. A. S. Sihanada, B. A. A. R. Bulathsinhala, and R. Gunathilake. "Remarks documented on medico-legal examination forms on sexual abuse cases; are they properly comprehended by the police?."Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 1, no. 2 (2014): 23-28.
• Edirisinghe PAS, Kitulwatte ID, Senarathne UD. Injuries in the Vulnerable Road User Fatalities; a study from Sri Lanka. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 2014;27: 9-12.
• Kitulwatte IDG, Edirisinghe PAS. Study on unnatural childhood deaths presented to North Colombo Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka. Medicine Science and Law. 2014;54(2):74-7.
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G., and N. A. S. P. Wijerathna. "A case of sudden death due to septic pulmonary embolism." Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 1, no. 2 (2014): 46-50.
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G., W. R. A. S. Rajapaksha, P. A. S. Edirisinghe, W. N. S. Perera, N. A. S. P. Wijerathna, A. A. S. Sihanada, B. A. A. R. Bulathsinhala, and R. Gunathilake. "Remarks documented on medico-legal examination forms on sexual abuse cases; are they properly comprehended by the police?." Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 1, no. 2 (2014): 23-28.
• Kitulwatte, I. D. G., P. A. S. Edirisinghe, and P. Appuhamy. "Analysis of child victims of trauma or violence reported for medico-legal examination in three tertiary care hospitals in Sri Lanka." Medico-Legal Journal of Sri Lanka 1, no. 2 (2014): 29-36
• Paranitharan P, Perera WNS, Perera A.A.B.S, Paranavithana S.S, Samanpura L.A retrospective descriptive study on facial injuries observed in victims of road traffic injuries covering a period of 2005 to 2014
• Edirisinghe PAS, Paranitharan P, Perera WNS, Willims S. Elder abuse among outpatient department attendees in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka, Ceylon Medical Journal 2014; 59:84-89.
• Edirisinghe PAS, Kitulwatte ID, Senarathne UD. Injuries in the Vulnerable Road User Fatalities; a study from Sri Lanka, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 2014;27: 9-12. Epub 2014 Jul 25.
• Kitulwatte IDG, Edirisinghe PAS. Study on unnatural childhood deaths presented to North Colombo Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka. Medicine Science and Law. 2014;54(2):74-7 . Epub 2013 Aug 21.
• Edirisinghe AS, Kitulwatte ID, Senarathne UD. A study into blood alcohol concentration in fatal accidents among vulnerable road users in a tertiary care hospital Sri Lanka , International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion 2013 Dec 16 [Epub ahead of print]
• Kitulwatte IDG, Edirisinghe PAS. Study on unnatural childhood deaths presented to North Colombo Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka . Medicine Science and Law. 2013 Aug 21
• Edirisinghe P.A.S., Kitulwatte I.G.D.,Homicidal firearm injuries - A study from Sri Lanka. Journal of Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 2010;6:93-98.
  Paranitharan P,  Edirisinghe, P.A.S., , ShehanWillims,Elder abuse-a wakeup call (leading article)  Ceylon Medical Journal.2009;54:1-3
• Edirisinghe, P.A.S., Kitulwatte IDG, Extreme violence- Homicide; An analysis of 265 cases from offices of JMO Colombo and Ragama- A study from Sri Lanka. Journal of Legal Medicine-2009; 11 Suppl 1: S363-S365
• Perera P, Pathmeswaran A. A pilot study on assessment of racial affinity of Sri Lankan population using discriminant function statistics and a few established morphological racial traits. Leg Med (Tokyo). 2009;11 Suppl 1:S182-5
• Indira D. Kitulwatte, Patrick J. H. Kim, Michael S. Pollanen,  Sudden death related myocarditis: a study of 56 cases, Forensic Sci Med Pathol, Nov 2009, 13-19
• Perera Priyanjith, Physical Methods of Torture and their sequlae: a Sri Lankan Perspective. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. 2007:14: 146-150
• Perera Priyanjith, Scars of Torture: A Sri Lankan Study. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine 2007;14: 138-145.

 

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