Wounds Department of Forensic Medicine Faculty of Medicine Hradec Králové
Wounds: Basic Classification n n n n n n n n
Bruises (ecchymoses) Abrasions Lacerations Incision wounds Puncture wounds Cut wounds Bite wounds Gunshot wounds
Sharp Injuries n n n n
Incision wounds – vulnus scissum Puncture wounds – vulnus punctum Cut wounds – vulnus sectum Bite wounds – vulnus morsum
Incision Wounds n n n
Cuts, slashes, vulnus scissum Definition: caused by a sharp-edged instrument May be self-inflicted, due to assault, accidental
Incision Wounds - features n n n n n n n
Shape, gapping Dimensions Edges No tissue bridges or abrasions of margins Jagged if inflicted through loose, folded skin Less dangerous than stab wounds Profuse bleeding, infection
The Cause of Death n n n n
Profuse bleeding Air embolism (i.e. vena jug. externa) Asphyxiation due to blood aspiration Mechanical asphyxia due to obstruction of air passages
Suicide n n
n
n n
There are certain typical sites of incision!!! The clothes from the place of incision are removed Other wounds in surrounding areas (due to fear, test of painfullness, parallel or crossing pattern) = tentative incisions The weapon can be found beside the suicider No marks of defence on hands and arms
Accidental n n n
Ussualy only one cut May occur in any region (mostly on hands) Often deep and forceful
Tentative incisions
Grasping of the weapon
Penetrating Wounds n
n
Stab, puncture wounds, vulnus punctum Definition: caused by blunt or sharply pointed objects
Penetrating Wounds n
n
n
n
Penetration – passes into but not through an organ Perforation – passes into and through an organ (there is a point of exit) We can use for description also combinations such as: perforating-laceration, penetratingincision etc. May be homicidal, suicidal and accidental
Penetrating Wounds n n n n n n n
Linear or irregular according to nature of weapon Depth x Length Edges Haemorrhage – deep vessels Infection Bruising rarely present One opening, but two or more tracks
Single edged blade
nature of blade direction of the thrust movement of the blade in the wound movement of the individual stabbed relaxation or tension of the skin
Visible hilt mark
Cause of Death n n
n n
Bleeding and haemorrhagic shock Bleeding into body cavities (hemothorax, hemopericardium) Injury of a vital organ Following fatal infection Stabbing is the most common method of homicide in the Czech Republic
Chop Wounds
n
n n
Caused by axe-like weapons and objects, these instruments may be sharp or blunt Very similar to incision wounds May be homicidal, accidental, self-inflicted, suicidal
Cut Wounds n n n n n n
Shape, often gapping Dimension Edges Bruise or abrasion can be seen Bleeding, infection Contusion, fractures, amputation
Cause of Death n n
Contusions of internal organs (especially brain) Bleeding
Bite Wounds n n n n n
Irregular Varies in dimension Edges are irregular INFECTION, SCARRING POSTMORTAL BITES by dogs, cats, rats
Blunt Injuries n n n
Laceration wounds Bruises, contusions Abrasions
Laceration Wounds (gashes, cuts) n
Definition: a splitting or tearing wound caused by a blunt injury ⇔ passes through the full thickness of the skin
n
Produced by moving weapons or objects, or by a fall (common on the scalp, face, elbows, knees, distal limbs; less common in soft areas)
n
n
May be accidental, due to assault or selfinflicted (self-inflicted are uncommon) Rolling or grinding movement may also cause laceration
Laceration Wounds n n n n n n n
Shape Edges (ragged, sometimes sharp; zone of crushing and bruising) Tissue bridges Foreign material Dimensions Haemorrhage Bruising commonly present
Bruise n
Caused by blunt impact
n
The blood leaks from small veins and arterioles Recognition of bruise of markedly different colours in the same person!
n
Ecchymoses, petechiae, are rarely due to direct trauma, but due to venous engorgement or defects in BC
Bruise n n
n
It is a vital injury Postmortem only by severe violence in areas of deep hypostasis Deep bruising may take some weeks to vanish
Intraepidermal bleeding
Abrasions (scratch, graze) n n n
Superficial injury (the most common) Confined to epidermis The most informative of all injuries
They consist of numerous linear abrasions and may cover considerable area of skin.
Abrasions n n n n n
Brush abrasions Crushing abrasions Patterned abrasions Ligature mark, fingernail abrasions Postmortem abrasions
Friction Burn n n n n
Extensive, superficial Reddened, excoriated area Little or no linear marks When the skin is protected by clothing
Abrasion
Patterned abrasion
Patterned abrasion
Hanging
Postmortem abrasion
Healing of abrasion n n n
n
Scab formation Epithelial regeneration Subepithelial granulation and epithelial hyperplasia Regenertion of epithlelium and granulation tissue
The End
