Citation

Subedi N, Yadav B, Jha S. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2014; 35(4): 275-277.

Affiliation

Department of Forensic Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0000000000000119

PMID

25354224

Abstract

In forensic casework, investigation of injury severity is important in evaluating the mortality, occasionally in terms of the adequacy of clinical management. The study was conducted with an objective to study the relationship of severity of the injuries using Abbreviated Injury Scale and Injury Severity Score (ISS) with survival period and place of death among fatal cases with abdominopelvic trauma.The total number of cases studied was 80. The injuries in all the body parts were allotted using the Abbreviated Injury Scale 2005, Update 2008, and the ISS was calculated. The male/female ratio was 4:1, and the mean (SD) age was 30.76 (15.2) years.

The cause of trauma was road traffic accidents in 82.5% of the cases. The median duration of survival was 2 hours. The mean (SD) ISS was 38.90 (14.89). Abbreviated Injury Scale scores of 5 and 4 were the most common in the region. With increase in the ISS, the survival period was decreased. There was a highly significant difference between the mean ISS of the victims who died prehospital and that of who died in the emergency department (P < 0.005). The mean ISS of the victims who died in the emergency department and of those who died in the ward, intensive care unit, or after discharge was also significantly different (P < 0.05).

Although the cases with more severe injuries died sooner, there should be provision of treatment on the spot without delay. More time taken to start the treatment increases the fatalities.

Language: en