Forensic medical examination in cases of non-lethal larynx traumas

Abstract

Victims with non-fatal laryngeal trauma become the object of forensic medical evaluation of the severity of bodily injuries in alive persons, carried out during pre-judicial and judicial investigation. The purpose of the study was to provide morphological and clinical analysis and characteristics of bodily injuries in cases of blunt laryngeal trauma in forensic medical examination of alive persons, to determine ways to improve the effectiveness of forensic medical diagnosis of the specified injury. Subjects and Methods. The study involved morphological and clinical analysis of 47 forensic medical expert conclusions in the leading forensic medical examination institution of Kharkiv region. Results. Frequency and types of blunt traumas of the larynx at examination of alive persons were determined. Specific features of forensic medical expert evaluation of bodily injuries severity in alive persons with blunt traumas of larynx were determined. Severe bodily injuries were defined in 3 cases (6.4 % of cases) of laryngeal traumas with the development of mechanical asphyxia. Moderate bodily injuries were determined by experts in 9 cases (19.1 % of cases) of blunt traumas of the larynx, accompanied by fractures of its cartilage; in 4 persons (8.5 % of cases) of blunt traumas of the larynx, accompanied by hematoma, edema of soft tissues of the larynx; in one case of blunt laryngeal trauma with acute edema, its second-degree stenosis. Mild bodily injuries which caused short-term disorder in 25 persons (53.2 % of cases) and mild bodily injuries which caused slight transitory effects in 4 persons (21.1 % of cases) were determined by experts in forensic medical examination of blunt laryngeal trauma with the development of acute posttraumatic laryngitis. The study implied elaboration of methods and an algorithm for improvement of forensic medical diagnostics in this type of injuries. Conclusions. Medicolegal diagnosis of blunt laryngeal trauma can be associated with underestimation and overestimation of the severity of bodily injuries by experts, which requires further research in the field of establishing unbiased expert diagnostic criteria for assessing such injuries.