Injury Patterns, Organ Damage, and Forensic Medical Outcomes in Penetrating Abdominal Trauma: A Retrospective Evaluation
Öz
Aim: Penetrating abdominal injuries (PAIs) constitute an important subgroup of forensic injuries due to their complex clinical course and their potential to result in life-threatening conditions or permanent sequelae. The aim of this study was to evaluate PAI cases in terms of injury patterns, organ damage, and forensic medical outcomes.
Materials and Methods: Medical records of 21,751 cases that presented to a secondary-level state hospital between 2022 and 2025 and were evaluated as forensic cases were retrospectively reviewed, and 94 cases with confirmed penetrating abdominal injury were included in the study. Descriptive characteristics, injury origin and mechanism, number of injuries and wound localizations, internal organ and vascular injuries, toxicological laboratory findings, and treatment modalities were examined, and the results were statistically analyzed.
Results: Males accounted for 80.9% of the cases. The most common injury origin was intentional injury, and the most frequent mechanism was stab or sharp-object injury. Intra-abdominal organ injury was not detected in 48.9% of the cases; among those with internal organ damage, the liver, small intestine, and colon were the most commonly affected organs. Ethyl alcohol detected on toxicological analysis was observed exclusively in male patients and was predominantly associated with intentional and suicide-related injuries occurring during nighttime hours. The mortality rate was 6.4%, and organ loss or permanent functional impairment developed in 8.5% of the cases.
Conclusion: The clinical course and forensic outcomes of penetrating abdominal injuries are closely related to factors such as the injury mechanism, number of wounds, and accompanying organ and vascular injuries. Detailed and standardized medical documentation is of critical importance for accurate forensic medical evaluation and for ensuring the reliability of judicial decision-making processes.
Anahtar Kelimeler
forensic medicine, injury patterns, medicolegal evaluation, organ damage, penetrating abdominal trauma
Etik Beyan
Kaynakça
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