Evaluation of cases admitted to the emergency department due to physical injury, determining the relationship between the injury factors and the characteristics of the wound

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the relationship between wound lesions and the injuring factors in individuals admitted to the emergency department due to physical trauma, and to identify the similarities and differences in this relationship. By doing so, it is intended to contribute to the formation of accurate judicial decisions through correct wound identification. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of patients who presented to the emergency department of Samsun 19 Mayıs District State Hospital due to physical injuries between April 1, 2024, and March 30, 2025, excluding weekends and official holidays, during working hours between 08:30 and 16:30. The wounds of patients who agreed to participate in the study were photographed and observed, and wound characteristics were recorded using a wound identification form developed based on a literature review. Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 software. Frequency tables were generated for sociodemographic variables, and Chi-square analysis was used to determine relationships between groups. Analyses were conducted at the α = 0.05 significance level. Results: The most common type of injury among trauma cases presenting to the emergency department was blunt force injuries (54.7%). In the majority of these cases, wound patterns specific to blunt trauma such as ecchymosis, abrasion, and laceration were observed. Among the blunt force injuries, 32 cases (17.7%) were found to resemble sharp force injuries, while 19 sharp force injuries (10.5%) resembled blunt force injuries. A statistically significant relationship was identified between the anatomical location of the wound and the type of injury it resembled (p=0.002 < 0.05). Conclusion: Accurate identification of wound characteristics and their consistency with the injuring agent are of evidential value in judicial processes and emphasize the critical role of physicians in forensic reporting. Keywords: physical injury, injuring factors, wound