Study of fatal blunt thoraco-abdominal injuries in Gulberga, Karnataka

In current scenario of alarmingly increasing cases of road traffic accidents study of fatal thoraco-abdominal (blunt) injuries may be no external injuries, internal organs may be damaged resulting in death due to presence of vital structures of respiration, circulation, digestion and spinal column. Totally 108 cases of fatal thoraco-abdominal injuries were studied. The most common age group affected was 21–30 years. Abrasion was most commonest external injury (74 cases).

Maximum number of victims had a combination of chest (50%) and abdominal injuries. There were injuries to the lungs in 57.1% cases. Injury to liver were seen in 62 cases (68.3%) in which 3 were contusion, 59 were laceration. 45.4% of victims of fatal thoraco-abdominal injury died within one hour after injury. Most of the victims of thoraco abdominal injuries died because of road traffic accidents (68.6%). Most common deaths in road traffic accidents were among the pedestrians (48.6%) The commonest cause of death was due to haemorrhage and shock (72.2%).