Some forensic aspects of the nasal septal deformities

Abstract

The literature data on the forensic aspects of the nasal septal deformities is very scarce. There are two main reasons for that: (1) the absence of an official international classification of the nasal septal deformities and (2) ignorance of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset of the particular types of nasal septal deformities and the ancillary changes of the structure of pertaining nasal mucosa, be it anterior to the deformity itself, behind it, or both. One of the classifications of the nasal septal deformities (1987) defines six main types, whereas the seventh type always presents variable combination of the six previous. Two out of six types (types 5 and 6) are the most important from the forensic medicine aspect. Both have been clinically proven as directly, dominantly inherited, thus having nothing to do with whichever type of the force against the subject's nose.