Forensic Medical Assessment of Injury Severity of Larynx and Hyoid Bone Based on Pre-Judicial and Judicial Investigation

Abstract

Victims with fatal and non-fatal closed blunt trauma of the larynx and hyoid bone often become the object of forensic medical service during the pre-judicial and judicial investigation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the features of expert qualification of bodily injuries in victims with closed blunt trauma of the larynx and hyoid bone, depending on the nature and severity to determine ways to unify its forensic diagnosis. Materials and methods. The study was based on the conclusions of 35 forensic medical examinations of cases of closed blunt trauma of the larynx and hyoid bone, obtained from the leading expert institution of the Kharkiv region. Results. We determined the peculiarities of estimating the degrees of severity of above bodily injuries. Severe injuries were found in 12 (34.4%) cases of death of the victims from mechanical asphyxia, in one case of reflex cardiac arrest, and in one case of traumatic shock. Injuries of moderate severity were established by experts in 6 (17.1%) cases of lethal and in 6 (17.1%) cases of non-lethal cases with laryngeal cartilage fractures; in 2 (6.2%) cases of non-lethal injuries with acute oedema, hematoma, laryngeal stenosis of the second degree. 7 (20%) cases of non-lethal laryngeal injuries with further development of acute posttraumatic laryngitis were qualified as simple injuries. Conclusion. There are no clear morphoclinical criteria for objective assessment of injuries of the larynx and hyoid bone that can lead to pre-diagnostic expert errors. According to the results of the work, the ways to unify forensic medical assessment and diagnosis of such injury was determined.