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Sharp force fatalities at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, 2012-2013
L Mitton1, L du Toit-Prinsloo1
1Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
South African Journal of Surgery. Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Chirurgie
|February 28, 2017
Summary
Sharp force fatalities in Pretoria are high, with most victims being young males. Exsanguination from thoracic injuries, particularly to the heart and lungs, is the leading cause of death.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Pathology
- Public Health
- Trauma Medicine
Background:
- South Africa recorded the world's highest crude death rate in 2014.
- Sharp force fatalities were frequent, with 47 daily murders in 2013.
- Pretoria experiences a high burden of violent deaths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review fatalities admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory over two years (2012-2013).
- To understand the magnitude of sharp force trauma.
- To identify common injury patterns and causes of death to aid clinical management and reduce mortality.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective descriptive case audit.
- Data collected from the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory.
- Analysis of 173 applicable sharp force fatality cases.
Main Results:
- Most victims were young males (84%, aged 21-30 years).
- Thoracic injuries were most common (65%), often perforating heart and lungs.
- Exsanguination was the primary cause of death (85%), with 66% of cases showing positive blood alcohol levels.
Conclusions:
- Pretoria exhibits an exceptionally high percentage of sharp force fatalities compared to international regions.
- Thoracic stab wounds leading to heart/lung perforation often cause immediate death.
- Hospital fatalities from abdominal/extremity injuries surviving over a day, primarily due to blood loss, warrant further research.
