Study on Chest Injuries Due to Blunt Object in Road Accident

Abstract

In India, people use local transport for travel. Since accidents prevail in these developing countries, India is not exceptional. The number of vehicle increases daily, and road accident occurs every two minutes. Chest injuries are widespread during accidental cases. This significantly contributed to the trauma during unintentional cases. Trauma generally affects young adults. Based on the above facts, the present study aims to determine the pathologies associated with chest injuries due to blunt objects in road accidents and to assess the blunt chest injuries among accident victims traveling in different road transportation modes and furthermore, to observe the injury pattern and its correlation with the victim's position during the road traffic accident. The study was carried out in the Branch of FMT, Raj Rajeswari Medical College and Hospital Bangalore. Data were collected from 100 cases of death caused by a road traffic accident that was presented for medico-legal post-mortem at the mortuary in the FMT department from December 2013 to May 2015. The study reports the maximum number (42%) of chest injuries occurred between the age group of 21-30 years, followed by 24% in the age group 31 – 40, with a maximum (62%) accidental cases in two-wheeler riders. The result showed that 48% of patients had rib fractures, 12% vertebral fractures, 10% sternum fractures, and 4% clavicle fractures during accidental cases, with haemothorax in 56% of cases. The result also showed that death was due to shock and hemorrhage in 92 patients and 6% due to coma. Specific injury prevention programs focusing on road safety should be implemented to limit and control the incidence of such injuries in light of our results.