Study of Pattern of Thoraco-abdominal Injuries in Fatal Traumatic Cases

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find out pattern of thoracoabdominal injuries in medicolegal cases of fatal trauma with regards to age and sex, survival period, causes and complications leading to death of the victims. Materials for the present study were collected from the 179 cases of fatal medicolegal cases of thoraco-abdominal injuries which were brought for autopsy at the mortuary of MGIMS Sevagram and District Civil Hospital, Wardha during the period from 1st July 2008 to 30th June 2010 and this cases were comprehensively studied. It was found that most commonly involved age group was 21 to 40 years with males outnumbering the females in a ratio of 6.7: 1. Vehicular accident was the leading cause for fatalities in 66.48%, followed by railway accidents in 19.55%, domestic accidents in 3.91% while the homicidal assaults accounted for 7.82% cases. 45.81% of the victims died on the spot while 19.55% died before reaching to hospital during transportation. Most of the patient (44.13%) sustained combined thoraco-abdominal injuries in common followed by 36.31% sustaining thoracic injuries only. Fracture of ribs was the commonest thoracic injury found in 64.80% victims followed by injury to the lungs in 45.81% and heart in 5.58% cases. Liver was the most commonly affected abdominal organ in 43.01% followed by spleen in 25.13% and kidneys in 11.17% cases. In majority i.e. 87.15% cases the cause of death was haemorrhagic shock indicating that timely intervention could have saved the lives of unfortunate hapless victims. Language: en