INJURY PATTERNS IN THE HEAD, NECK AND THORAX SECONDARY TO FIREARMS IN THE PROVINCE OF EL ORO-ECUADOR
Keywords:
firearm injuries, forensic medicine, forensic ballistics, gunshot wounds, medico-legal autopsyAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/yc.v10i19.1009
Abstract
Injuries caused by firearm projectiles constitute a significant medico-legal and public health problem due to their increasing potential to cause disability, severe injuries, and death. The present study aims to identify and characterize patterns of injuries secondary to firearm projectile passage in the head, neck, and thorax, with emphasis on the morphological characteristics of entry and exit wounds, associated signs of gunshot injuries, trajectories, and involvement of anatomical structures. A retrospective, descriptive-analytical study was conducted based on the analysis of documentary information and reference material provided by professionals from the National Service of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (SNMLCF), corresponding to the period from January to March 2026. Of a total of 393 cadaveric admissions, 237 cases were analyzed in which the cause of death was attributable to firearm projectile injuries. The results showed a predominance of males (93.64%) and firearm-related deaths (60.31%). The most affected anatomical regions were multiple trauma (42.65%) and the head (41.67%), followed by the thorax (14.22%) and neck (1.47%). Additionally, morphological characteristics consistent with the classic patterns of entry and exit wounds were identified, as well as signs corresponding to gunshots fired from short, intermediate, and long distances. It is concluded that the macroscopic assessment of firearm projectile injuries constitutes a fundamental tool for medico-legal interpretation, reconstruction of ballistic trajectories, and clarification of the violent events under investigation.
Keywords: firearm injuries, forensic medicine, forensic ballistics, gunshot wounds, medico-legal autopsy.
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