Forensic evaluation of clinical observations of injuries of some external respiratory organs

Abstract

In the structure of injuries of the external respiratory system, closed chest injury occupies a leading place. Such injuries in victims may be a reason for forensic medical examinations. The aim of the work was to establish a forensic medical assessment of the severity of injuries of the respiratory system based on clinical observations of closed blunt trauma of the chest to determine additional diagnostic criteria for its seriousness. The material for the study was medical records of 126 patients of the Kharkiv Institute of General and Emergency Surgery, named after V.T. Zaitseva, who had chest injuries. According to the materials of clinical observations of closed chest injuries, the severity of injuries in the victims was assessed. In 24 (19%) cases of closed chest injuries, severe injuries were found mainly with acute respiratory failure as a life-threatening condition. In 72 (57.2%) cases of closed chest injuries, mainly with rib fractures, moderate injuries were found in the absence of danger to life. In 30 (23.8%) cases of chest injuries without rib fractures with intrapleural injuries and complications and mild chest injuries without any complications, assessed as minor injuries. It is established that in the forensic medical examination of closed chest injuries, it is necessary to consider additional diagnostic criteria: the presence of life-threatening phenomena, the dynamics and duration of recovery of post-traumatic morpho-functional changes of injured organs.