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Citation |
Saritha SR, Sasikala K. Indian J. Forensic Med. Toxicol. 2016; 10(2): 215-220. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2016, All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Deptartment of Forensic Medicine) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
Spinal injuries in fall from height are the result of vertical transmission of the forces of deceleration, along the axial skeleton. The study sample comprised of 40 cases of death due to fall from height with fatal spinal injuries brought for autopsy at State Medico legal Institute, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during the period May 2006 to April 2008. Age group ranged from 10 to 80 years. Majority of victims were males (97.5%). Nearly half of the victims fell down from tree (47.5%) and more than a quarter (30%) from buildings and significant portion of these falls happened at work place. All subjects except one (97.5%) fell down from height less than 15 metres. Head was the site of primary impact in half of the cases. Upper cervical vertebrae were involved in 12.5%, lower cervical vertebrae in 45%, thoracic vertebrae in 30%, lumbar vertebrae and sacrum in 2.5% each. Spinal cord was seen involved in 32 cases (80%). Majority of victims (65%) survived for varying period. Cervical spine injury was the most common cause of death in the study group found as a single cause in 22.5% and in combination with head, chest and multiple injuries in 42.5% of cases. Injuries to spine constitute a significant part of trauma related to fall from height. Majority of them were occupation related and preventable. By proper planning and implementation of preventive measures most of these fatalities can be avoided. © 2016, Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. All rights reserved. Language: en |
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Keywords |
adolescent; adult; human; suicide; female; male; aged; survival; autopsy; head injury; cause of death; kidney failure; middle aged; falling; septicemia; thorax injury; cervical spine injury; multiple trauma; spine injury; pneumonia; diaphragm paralysis; Article; Fall from height; Autopsy study; Injuries to spine |