Orbital injuries: aspects of forensic medical examination in assessing the severity of harm caused to human health

Background: Forensic examination plays a key role in establishing the severity of injuries, especially of orbital trauma, which can lead to serious consequences, including vision loss. Examination of forensic reports associated with orbital trauma provides valuable information about the nature of the injuries, their prevalence, and factors influencing the severity of the injury.

Aim: Analysis of the possibilities of an interdisciplinary approach based on the presence of a full ophthalmological status and computed tomography data of the skull in conducting a forensic medical examination of living persons and in the final qualification of the degree of harm to health in orbital injuries.

Materials and methods: An analysis of 37 completed forensic medical examinations of living persons with orbital injuries who were treated in multidisciplinary hospitals in Moscow was carried out. The forensic medical examination was carried out in the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Moscow Health Department. In 23 cases, the ophthalmological status was assessed at periods from 1 week to 6 months after the injury. In all cases (n = 37; 100%), computed tomography of the facial and cerebral skull was performed. The age of the victims at the time of injury ranged from 12 to 82 years (average 39.7 ± 9.2 years). There were 29 adults among the victims (78.3%), 8 children (21.6%). In terms of gender distribution, there was a significant male predominance — 27 men (73%) versus 10 women (27%).

Results: According to the results of the analysis of forensic medical reports, polytrauma with the simultaneous presence of several severe injuries to various organs and systems, combined with orbital trauma, was recorded in 12 victims (32.4%). A combination of traumatic brain injury and orbital injury without involvement of other organs and systems was detected in 9 victims (24.3%), isolated orbital trauma — in 13 people (35.1%), isolated injury of two orbits simultaneously — in 3 victims (8.1%). From the conclusions of forensic experts, it follows that in 89% of cases, the bone walls of the orbits, formed by the frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid bones, as well as the upper jaw, were damaged, which could subsequently lead to damage to the globe, optic nerve and other orbital structures. Damage to the soft tissue of the orbits with globe contusion was noted in 11% of cases. In 3 cases (n = 3; 8.1%), moderate harm to health was determined based on significant persistent loss of general ability to work. In 14 cases (n = 14; 37.8%), it was not possible to focus on the acuteness of the injured globe before the traumatic episode, due to the fact that the victims had no documented visits to an ophthalmologist before the injury.

Conclusions: To objectively assess of the orbital trauma and determine the degree of harm to human health, it is necessary to have a full ophthalmological status, including such clinical and instrumental criteria as visual acuteness, presence or absence of ophthalmoplegia and globe dystopia, as well as computed tomography data of the skull, which must be presented in the primary medical documentation.