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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijfmp.0974.3383.10217.14

Abstract

Background: In this modern era of scientific development and industrial progress, craniocerebral trauma is the leading cause of morbidity, mortality and achieved status as a ‘global health epidemic’. Skull fracture is a important component of craniocerebral injury. Fracture pattern, type, extent, and position are important in assessing the sustained injury. The skull fractures, offer varying diagnostic and medico- legal problems to the medical jurists as well as to the clinicians. So in present study more emphasis was given on study of skull fractures. Materials & Methods: A prospective cross sectional study was carried out during period from 1st June 2011 to 15th October 2012 in the department of FMT of Rural Medical College, Loni. In present study 100 fatal cases of craniocerebral injury were studied. During medicolegal post-mortem examination, detailed external as well as internal examination was conducted in each case and injuries were examined in details. Skull fracture was noted in terms of type, location, number, extension & associated complications. In this way collected data was analysed & presented in this paper. Results: In the present study we found skull fractures in 71 cases out of 100 cases. Linear type of skull fracture was found in 40 cases. In 34 (47.88%) cases both the vault as well as base was involved. In case of vault fracture, occipital bone was commonest location (8 cases). It was noted that the commonest site of basal fractures was the combination of anterior, middle and posterior cranial fossa accounted for 15 cases. Conclusions: Majority of fatal cases of head injury shows skull fracture. Combined involvement of vault and base was seen in most of the cases. Linear fracture was the commonest type of fracture observed. In vault fracture, occipital region was commonly involved & fronto-parieto-temporal. In base fracture, combination of anterior, middle & posterior cranial fossa was the commonest combination observed.

Keywords: Craniocerebral Injury; Skull Fracture; Medicolegal Problem. 

Corresponding Author : Vikrant S. Kalokhe, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre, Adagaon, Nashik-422003, Maharashtra.