Stab and sharp-penetrating injuries presented to a forensic medicine clinic: A five-year retrospective analysis

Aim: Sharp and sharp-penetrating injuries constitute an important group of trauma cases that require rapid, systematic, and objective evaluation in both forensic and clinical settings. This study aims to contribute to the regional literature by analyzing the demographic, clinical, and forensic characteristics of cases presenting to a forensic medicine outpatient clinic due to sharp and/or sharp-penetrating instrument injuries.

Materials and Methods: A total of 167 cases who presented to the Forensic Medicine Outpatient Clinic of Ordu University Training and Research Hospital between 2017 and 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic characteristics, injury patterns, etiological factors, and forensic classifications were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with surgical intervention, and Poisson regression was used to assess annual trends.

Results: Of the cases, 83.2% were male, and the mean age was 33.3 years. Injuries occurred most frequently in the summer months, particularly in July, and Wednesday had the highest rate of presentations among the days of the week. The most common cause was interpersonal violence (75.4%), and knives constituted the vast majority of instruments used (98.5%). Under Articles 86–87 of the Turkish Penal Code, 37.1% of cases were classified as “requiring more than simple medical intervention.” The surgical intervention rate was 13.2%. Multivariable analysis showed that penetrating thoracic injury (OR=27.9; 95% CI: 4.26–183.0; p<0.001) and muscle-tendon damage (OR=31.1; 95% CI: 6.52–148.7; p<0.001) significantly increased the likelihood of requiring surgery. Additionally, a statistically significant upward trend in annual case numbers was identified (IRR=1.34/year; 95% CI: 1.24–1.45; p<0.001).

Conclusion: Sharp-penetrating injuries were predominantly observed in young men and were mostly driven by interpersonal violence. The need for surgical intervention was primarily determined by anatomical depth and associated tissue damage. The increasing annual trend in case numbers highlights the necessity of closely monitoring regional violence dynamics and developing targeted preventive strategies.