Zuwała Marcin, Rogowicz Garay Natalia, Buś Zuzanna, Klimaszewska Katarzyna, Szabliński Tomasz, Radzikowska Julia, Konopka Tomasz
Students' Scientific Society of Jagiellonian University Medical College, Poland.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol. 2025;75(1):5-15. doi: 10.4467/16891716AMSIK.25.001.21536.
Falls from standing height are understood as incidents where a person in an upright or nearly upright position collapses, striking a hard surface. The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that skull fractures resulting from such events typically manifest as a single crack, while the presence of other types of fractures may indicate a different injury mechanism than a simple fall.
Autopsy reports from a 10-year period (2000-2009) from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Kraków were analyzed. The study included 272 cases that met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected regarding the injury mechanism, place of death, and sustained injuries, with a particular focus on the presence and pattern of skull fractures.
Among 272 cases of fatal falls from standing height, 181 (66.54%) exhibited skull fractures in the autopsy examination. Within the analyzed group, 91.71% were male, and an interesting age disparity emerged between genders: an average age of 53.1 years for men and 70.6 years for women. Simple fractures (single, non-branching) were the most common category, accounting for 64.85% of cases. Additionally, branching fractures were observed in 15.38%, multiple fractures in 15.93%, and comminuted fractures in 3.84%.
In two-thirds of analyzed cases of fatal intracranial injuries resulting from falls from standing height, skull fractures were present. Skull fractures caused by such incidents are most commonly single and linear, though complex fractures are occasionally observed. The most frequent locations of fractures resulting from falls from standing height include the posterior cranial fossa and the cranial vault.
从站立高度跌落被理解为一个处于直立或接近直立位置的人摔倒并撞击坚硬表面的事件。本研究的目的是验证以下假设：此类事件导致的颅骨骨折通常表现为单一裂缝，而其他类型骨折的存在可能表明损伤机制不同于单纯跌倒。
对克拉科夫法医学研究所10年期间（2000 - 2009年）的尸检报告进行分析。该研究纳入了272例符合纳入标准的病例。收集了有关损伤机制、死亡地点和所受损伤的数据，特别关注颅骨骨折的存在情况和模式。
在272例从站立高度跌落致死的病例中，181例（66.54%）在尸检中显示有颅骨骨折。在分析的组中，91.71%为男性，且男女之间出现了有趣的年龄差异：男性平均年龄为53.1岁，女性为70.6岁。单纯骨折（单一、无分支）是最常见的类型，占病例的64.85%。此外，观察到分支骨折占15.38%，多发性骨折占15.93%，粉碎性骨折占3.84%。
在三分之二的因从站立高度跌落导致的致命性颅内损伤分析病例中，存在颅骨骨折。此类事件导致的颅骨骨折最常见的是单一且呈线性的，不过偶尔也会观察到复杂骨折。从站立高度跌落导致骨折的最常见部位包括后颅窝和颅顶。
