Lesionología

Understanding Legal Definitions of Injury

Definition and Types of Injuries

• Injuries are defined as damage to a person's bodily integrity or health, excluding damages to glasses, prosthetics, clothing, etc. .

• According to the penal code, there are four categories of injuries: very serious (involving castration or malicious mutilation), serious (causing over 30 days of work incapacity), medium severity (15-30 days incapacity), and minor (0-14 days incapacity). .

Importance of Accurate Medical Descriptions

• Accurate anatomical descriptions are crucial for legal documentation; lateralization must be clearly indicated (right vs. left). .

• The body is divided into anatomical sections: arms, forearms, thighs, and legs into upper third, middle third, and lower third for precise injury classification. .

Classification of Injuries

Types Based on Mechanism

• Injuries can be classified anatomically into contusions, wounds (including abrasions and cuts), burns, and traumatic injuries. This classification aids in understanding the nature of the injury. .

Contusions

• Contusions result from blunt force trauma without cutting; they can be superficial or deep depending on whether internal organs are affected. Examples include traffic accidents or falls. .

Wounds

• Wounds are categorized as erosions (superficial skin damage), excoriations (deeper skin damage with potential scabbing), contused wounds (irregular edges from blunt objects), cuts (clean edges from sharp objects), puncture wounds (from pointed objects), and gunshot wounds which may have entry/exit holes with specific characteristics based on distance from the shooter. .

Specific Characteristics of Wounds

• Erosions appear flat with redness; excoriations penetrate deeper layers causing bleeding; contused wounds disrupt both epidermis and dermis but vary in shape; cuts have clean edges while puncture wounds leave a single entry point often associated with deeper tissue damage. Gunshot wounds may show signs like an erythematous ring around the entry point depending on proximity to discharge. .

Understanding Burns and Fractures in Medical Emergencies

Classification of Burns

• The discussion begins with the nature of projectile injuries, noting that entry wounds can sometimes be larger than exit wounds.

• Burns are categorized into three degrees:

• First Degree: Characterized by heat, pain, and erythema; considered mild.

• Second Degree: Involves blisters and is of moderate severity.

• Third Degree: Features charred or completely white skin; classified as severe.

Overview of Fractures

• Fractures generally take over 30 days to heal and are typically classified as serious injuries, except for five specific types:

• Single rib fractures (healing time less than 30 days).

• Non-displaced nasal bone fractures.

• Greenstick fractures in children.

• Non-displaced zygomatic fractures.

• Fibula fractures.

Maxillofacial Injuries

• Displaced or exposed maxillary and nasal bone fractures require medical or surgical intervention due to their severity.

• Mandibular and lower jaw fractures are also serious because they involve displacement.

Dental Injuries

• All dental luxations are considered severe; however, subluxations are of moderate severity.

• Minor anatomical damage (1-2 mm) to a tooth is deemed a minor legal prognosis. More significant damage increases the severity classification.

Importance of Documentation

• Patients seeking emergency care not only desire treatment but also need documentation to validate their injuries for legal purposes, emphasizing the importance of accurate reporting in medical emergencies.