Medico-Legal Update
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue: 2

A Retrospective one Year Study of the Medico-legal Cases in the Emergency Department of Rural Institute of Medical Sciences, Saifai, Etawah

1Associate Prof., U.P.RIMS & R, Saifai

2Senior Resident, U.P.RIMS & R, Saifai

*Corresponding author: Dr. Richa Choudhury, Associate Professor, Fornsic Medicine and Toxicology, RIMS&R, Saifai 206130 Cont.: +91-941545833. E-mail: drricha_c@hotmail.com

Online published on 8 July, 2016.

Abstract

A medico legal case is an integral part of medical practice, and it requires proper handling and accurate documentation to avoid unnecessary legal complications. Our study is significant as it will be the first of its kind to tabulate the MLCs of RIMS&R, thus highlighting the common causes of injuries in Etawah region. This work could also prove to be beneficial in charting out the various preventive measures specific for this region necessary for avoiding such injuries.

All medico legal cases which presented to the emergency unit of RIMS & R, were studied retrospectively for a period of one year that is from July 2014-to June 2015. During this period a total number of 3287 cases were registered as medico legal cases as per data collected from the medical record department.

Majority of the patients were in the age group of 21–30 years (29.6%), followed by 11–20 years (21.1%) and 31–40 years (18.9%) respectively. Majority of the cases were males (70.82%), only (29.17%) cases were females. Maximum cases were of RTAs (46.1%), followed by fall (15.1%), and Poisoning cases (13.03%).

Our present study highlights the pattern of common injuries prevalent in Etawah region which clearly shows a very high incidence of road traffic accidents, seemingly associated with increased vehicular speed, rare use of seat belts and helmets, along with drunken driving. Trauma is the most common cause of mortality in the productive age group of 15–45 years age group. In all such trauma cases the outcome could be improved firstly by injury prevention education, secondly by providing appropriate emergency medical care in well-equipped trauma centers associated with the hospital. There should be development and use of telemedicine facility so that all cases of known and unknown poisoning could be correctly and timely managed by seeking information about the specific treatment from the poison control centers.

Keywords

Medico-legal cases, Trauma center, Poison control center, telemedicine