A retrospective descriptive study on homicides and injuries to the lower extremities

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Homicidal deaths result from various causes and usually involve fatal injuries. The lower extremities may sustain injuries due to an assault, fall and in some instances due to self-defense. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the study was to describe the different types of injuries sustained by the lower extremities following homicidal deaths and analyze the different injuries and injury patterns sustained. METHODS: This was a retrospective descriptive study. Sixty eight homicidal deaths from the case load of the investigators for the past fifteen years were documented based on a pro-forma. The data was analyzed using a SPSS statistical package. RESULTS: Sharp force (38.2%), firearm (38.2%), blunt force (11.8%) and asphyxia (8.8%) were the main modes of homicide. In 50% of cases, the lower extremities were not involved and the rest were with either involvement of single (36.8%) or both extremities (13.2%). The lower extremities alone was involved on one occasion. In majority of instances, the injuries were sustained as a combination with other parts of the body such as upper and lower extremities (13.24%), head and lower extremities (13.24%) and chest and lower extremities (10.29%). In the lower extremities most of the injuries were on the region of thighs: right 47.83% and left 30.00%. A higher proportion (48.84%) of injuries were abrasions. CONCLUSIONS: The lower extremities were involved in 50% of the homicidal deaths. In most instances the thigh was involved. Assaults (45.16%) and falls (32.26%) were the main causes of trauma for lower extremities.