Author(s)

Yanxiang Zhang^1,2, Xiaolin Quan², Hui Tang², Yuanwei Lei²

¹Medical School of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.
²Chu Xin-Shengyuan Medicolegal Expertise Centre in Jingzhou, Jingzhou, China.

Objective: To explore the characteristics and mechanisms of serious injuries of chest caused by road traffic accidents. Methods: Totally 112 autopsy cases with chest injuries in the urban of Jingzhou road traffic accidents were collected. Systematic review and analysis of the general information, postmortem examinations and assessments of chest injury had carried out from Feb. 2016 to Mar. 2018. Results: Average age of the victims was 52.2 years and the ratio of male to female deaths was 2.39:1. The proportion of motor-cyclists and pedestrians increased significantly. The overwhelming majority of accident vehicles were motorcycles and bicycles. Fractures of ribs and pulmonary contusion were the most common injuries. Craniocerebral and abdominal injuries were the most common associated injuries. Conclusion: Fractures of ribs and pulmonary contusion were the most common features of fatal road traffic injuries, often associated with vitreoretinal damage and serious multiple damages. These features reflect the characteristics of great violence in traffic accidents, which provides the evidence of identification of violent injuries.

Road Traffic Accidents, Thorax Injuries, Retrospective Analysis, Forensic Pathology

Zhang, Y. , Quan, X. , Tang, H. and Lei, Y. (2020) Analysis of Thorax Injuries in 112 Death Cases Caused by Traffic Accidents. Yangtze Medicine, 4, 125-131. doi: 10.4236/ym.2020.42012.