caa a22 4500 606240691 CHVBK 20210128101309.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00508-014-0639-9 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00508-014-0639-9 Injury pattern in correlation with the height of fatal falls [Elektronische Daten] [Stephanie Arbes, Andrea Berzlanovich] Tödliche Stürze -Verletzungsmuster in Abhängigkeit von der Sturzhöhe Summary: Background: Death due to blunt trauma as a sequel of falls, as a cause of an increased life span is expected. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine the correlation between the height of fall and the frequency, the extensiveness, and the type of injuries of certain body regions and organs. Methods: The study included 201 cases of fatal falls, which consisted 118 male and 83 female cases. All subjects were assessed in a standard autopsy for height of fall, cause of death, and injury pattern. Results: Concerning the height of fall, 111 (55.2%) cases involved falls on a plane level, 72 (35.8%) from one level to another lower level, less than 5 meters, and 18 (9%) cases from one level to another lower level, more than 5 meters. Mean age at the time of death was 66.7-years-old (range 22-98). The immediate cause of death was in 94 cases blunt head trauma, in 40 cases cardiovascular diseases, in 56 cases bronchopulmonal diseases, in 3 patients Polytrauma, in 5 patients multi organ failure, and in 3 patients other causes were identified. At the autopsy, 66 patients showed fractures of the skeletal system. The most common cause of death independent from the height of fall was head trauma with 46.7%. Conclusion: Both post-mortem findings and medical and psychiatric history, in conjunction with the findings at the death scene and toxicology results have to be considered to obtain the clearest possible picture of the circumstance of death. Springer-Verlag Wien, 2014 Injury pattern nationallicence Height of fall nationallicence Cause of death nationallicence Head trauma nationallicence Fatal falls nationallicence Verletzungsmuster nationallicence Sturzhöhe nationallicence Todesursache nationallicence Schädel-Hirn Trauma nationallicence Tötliche Stürze nationallicence Arbes Stephanie Department of Traumatology, Vienna Medical School, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria aut Berzlanovich Andrea Department for Forensic Medicine, Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria aut Wiener klinische Wochenschrift Springer Vienna 127/1-2(2015-01-01), 57-61 0043-5325 127:1-2<57 2015 127 508 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0639-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0639-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Arbes Stephanie Department of Traumatology, Vienna Medical School, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Berzlanovich Andrea Department for Forensic Medicine, Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Wiener klinische Wochenschrift Springer Vienna 127/1-2(2015-01-01), 57-61 0043-5325 127:1-2<57 2015 127 508