Liam Payne's cause of death has been confirmed as 'polytrauma'

Liam Payne’s medical cause of death has been confirmed in a UK inquest opening as 'polytrauma'.

A hearing, which Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court said was held on 17 December, was told it may take 'some time' to ascertain how the former One Direction star died.

Polytrauma is a medical term used to describe the condition of a person who has sustained multiple traumatic injuries to their body parts or organ systems. Dr Roberto Victor Cohen confirmed this is how Payne died.

Payne passed away on 16 October after falling from the third-floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Five people have been charged over the 31-year-old's death including the hotel's manager, a receptionist and a friend of the singer, Roger Nores.

Payne's medical cause of death has been confirmed as 'polytrauma'. (John Phillips/Getty Images)

They face charges of manslaughter while hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra and waiter Braian Paiz have been charged with supplying cocaine.

The coroner's court said the inquest into Payne's death in the UK has been adjourned until a pre-inquest review on 6 November.

The hearing was also told Payne was formally identified 'with the assistance of the funeral directors in Buckinghamshire'.

Senior Coroner Crispin Butler said: “Whilst there are ongoing investigations in Argentina into the circumstances of Liam’s death, over which I have no legal jurisdiction, it is anticipated that procuring the relevant information to address particularly how Liam came by his death may take some time through the formal channel of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.”

Of those charged, the chief receptionist is suspected of manslaughter after allegedly asking three people to ‘drag’ Payne to his hotel room, where he later fell from the balcony.

Payne's funeral was attended by a number of stars. (Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

Court documents state the balcony was a ‘serious threat’, and that the manager should have ensured he was taken to a safe place until medical assistance arrived.

Nores has reportedly been charged with manslaughter due to ‘failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help’. He is accused of having 'abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions'.

The judge presiding over the charges, Laura Bruniard, said that she did not believe the three charged with manslaughter intentionally ‘planned or wanted the death of Payne’.

She did state however their alleged actions had led to a ‘risk’ to his life.

A toxicology report from November states that when Payne died, a mixture of cocaine, alcohol and anti-depressants were found in his blood.