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Background In the last years there has been more attention in the media for young people who died suddenly and unexpectedly. Unfortunately these events have been happening for a long time. When infants and children die, their cases get reviewed by death review committees. These specific death review committees have been established for almost 30 years. Since then multiple causes of sudden unexpected infant death have been discovered, campaigns were run and incidence has significantly dropped. Objectives To investigate the existence of death review committees on sudden death in young adults and their added value to preventative measures. Methods A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library using the following terms: “Advisory committee”[MeSH], “Death, sudden”[MeSH] , “Child” [MeSH], “Adolescent” [MeSH], and “Young adult” [MeSH]. Suggested alternative entry terms were also added in the search. No limitation was set on study type or year or publication. Articles only focusing on etiology, etiology, diagnostic approach, medical imaging, incidence or research on arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy were excluded. Results The search resulted in 11 relevant articles for this study. 3 review committees in the resulting articles focused on sudden death in infants and children. Sudden cardiac death has been reviewed but with no age limit. The other study on sudden cardiac death did set an age limit at 40 years, but focuses on epidemiology. 4 articles focused on best practice recommendations to prevent sudden death in high school and college athletes. One study discusses premature mortality in epilepsy in low- to middle-income countries. 1 article investigated the best way to stratify patients with Wolff-Parknson-White for the risk of arrhythmic events. Conclusion Death review committees specifically on sudden death in the young do not yet exist. There is no common thread to be found in the reviewed literature. Based on the literature, already existing death review committees on infant and child death, and expert recommendations, we find a death review committee on sudden death in the young could have a great added value both on an individual level as well as on a community level.  

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In the medical world, research autopsies are becoming increasingly significant. Since 2012, the term "research autopsy" has become incredibly common. Finding a suitable definition for a research autopsy is therefore of great importance. As a result, a large part of this thesis will be devoted to defining this term. Second, the literature frequently refers to a rapid autopsy program, in which research autopsies provide a comprehensive understanding of the extent of a disease. These rapid autopsy programs also allow for the collection of fresh tissue samples from all affected organs within hours of a patient's death. Furthermore, it is critical to understand how a rapid autopsy program in which a research autopsy is performed is launched in Belgium, as well as the conditions that must be met. Legislation and the ethics committee are significant in this regard. as well as how to recruit patients into the program. Finally, the many studies that appear in the literature, both internationally and at UZ/KU Leuven, are thoroughly examined. The international studies are reviewed in light of the extensive literature research. Concerning the studies at UZ/KU Leuven, the focus will be on the autopsy that are presently being conducted in the context of scientific research at the UZ/KU Leuven.