FORENSIC MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LARYNGEAL INJURY SEVERITY IN PATIENTS EXAMINED AT SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL

Abstract

Closed blunt trauma to the larynx often necessitates forensic medical examination. This study aimed to evaluate the severity of laryngeal injuries in a forensic medical context based on examinations of patients treated in a specialized otolaryngology clinic in order to provide additional diagnostic criteria. Medical records from 56 patients with laryngeal injuries, who sought medical aid at Kharkiv Municipal Clinical Otolaryngological Hospital No. 30 over the past decade, were analyzed. Additionally, we conducted laryngostroboscopy on 16 patients at this institution.
 Results revealed that in 47 cases (83.9%), blunt force from hard objects (blows with fists or other objects) to the neck was the primary cause of laryngeal trauma. In 9 cases (16.1%), injuries resulted from neck compression by hands or blunt objects. Laryngostroboscopy allowed objective assessment of post-traumatic changes in laryngeal cases as well as contributed in substantiating the final results and detecting the duration of the health disorder. The severity of laryngeal injuries in a forensic medical context was determined from inpatient observation data. Severe injuries with life-threatening consequences were identified in 5.3% of cases. In 14.3% of cases, injuries were assessed as moderate, typically associated with cartilage fractures and did not pose life-threatening risks. Simple physical injuries causing short-term health disorders constituted 60.7% of cases, primarily involving soft tissue damage (swelling, hemorrhages, vocal cord hemorrhages). In 19.6% of cases, injuries were classified as minor, manifesting as acute post-traumatic laryngitis with no significant morphological changes.
 We can conclude that additional diagnostic criteria for assessing laryngeal injuries in a forensic medical context include the presence of morpho-functional changes in the larynx, as confirmed by laryngostroboscopy, along with considerations of life-threatening conditions. The results of this study enable to elaborate detailed steps for enhancing forensic medical examinations related to these specific injuries.