A Study on Medico Legally Significant Blunt Thoracic Trauma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v17i1.18905Keywords:
Thoracic trauma, Blunt force, Medico-legal significanceAbstract
Introduction: Thoracic trauma (TT) accounts for significant mortality and morbidity. Blunt thoracic trauma is
reported more frequently than sharp force trauma, where motor traffic collisions account for the majority.
Addressing medico-legal issues is often a challenge in TT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate blunt chest
trauma from a medico-legal point of view.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted based on case records of the victims (living and dead)
of TT over three years presented to a Teaching Hospital and a District General Hospital in Western Province.
Results: There were 248 living patients and 195 deceased. Road accidents accounted for TT in 236 (53.3%), followed
by 166 (37.5%) assaults. Out of the deceased, 89% had a very short survival period. “Multiple chest injuries” was
the cause of death in 83 (42.5%) dead, and 91 (46.7%) died due to TT. Road accidents accounted for N=71 (78% of
deaths due to TT). Out of the live patients, 87 (35.8%) had grievous or above-category injuries to the chest, and
victims of assault were commonly having non-grievous injuries with a significant association (p<0.001). A total of
175 (39.5%) had rib fractures, and 125 were following motor traffic accidents.
Conclusions: Blunt TT accounts for significant mortality and morbidity, with the most common circumstances
being road accidents. Most of them come under a severe category of hurt with a short survival period among the
dead.
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