Pattern and distribution of head injuries in victims of fatal road traffic accidents-an autopsy based study

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Original Article

Author Details : Sreekanth S. Nair, Nikhil Lakshmanan

Volume : 4, Issue : 1, Year : 2017

Article Page : 42-45

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Abstract

Road traffic accident (RTA) is a major epidemiological and medicolegal problem. Among the injuries caused in road traffic accidents, head injuries are the most serious injuries in terms of morbidity and mortality. Hence the present study was conducted to know the pattern and distribution of head injuries in fatal road traffic accidents. This study was undertaken on 106 victims of vehicular accidents, brought to JJM Medical College, and Chigateri general hospital, Davangere, Karnataka for medico-legal autopsy. This study entirely focuses on the patterns of head injuries in fatal road traffic accidents. RTAs were more common in the younger age groups and in male sex. The commonest type of scalp injury was contusion as observed in 66% of the cases. Most common type of fracture in the skull was linear fracture as observed in 62% of the cases. Most common injury to the brain was subarachnoid haemorrhage which was seen in 84.9% of the cases followed by subdural haemorrhage, in 74.5% of the cases. Headinjury was the major cause of death in majority cases of RTAs, mostly due to scalp injuries, skull fractures, Subdural and Subarachnoid Haemorrhages. This further shows the need of strict implementations of traffic rules.

Keywords: Road Traffic Accident (RTA), Head Injury, Scalp injuries, Skull fractures, Craniocerebral haemorrhage

How to cite : Nair S S, Lakshmanan N, Pattern and distribution of head injuries in victims of fatal road traffic accidents-an autopsy based study. Indian J Forensic Community Med 2017;4(1):42-45

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