Forensic aspects of trauma 1 and 2

Question 1

Injury

Answer 1

Damage to any part of the body due to the application of mechanical force

Question 2

Force varies with…

Answer 2

directly with mas of weapon and square of velocity

Question 3

Is area the object acts over important?

Answer 3

yes

Question 4

4 injuries excessive mechanical force can cause

Answer 4

compression
torsion
traction
tangential

Question 5

Wat 2 things does resultant damage depend on?

Answer 5

type of mechanical insult and nature of tissue

Question 6

3 ways to classify injury

Answer 6

appearance or method of causation
manner of causation
nature of injury

Question 7

appearance or method of causation

Answer 7

abrasion - contusion - laceration - incision - gunshot - burns

Question 8

manner of causation

Answer 8

suicidal - accidental - homicides

Question 9

Nature of injury

Answer 9

blunt force - sharp force - explosion

Question 10

Blunt force injuries

Answer 10

caused by impact with blunt objects eg ground, fist, foot, weapon

Question 11

contusion

Answer 11

bruises - burst blood vessels in skin dermis

Question 12

abrasions

Answer 12

grazes - scrape skin surface

Question 13

Lacerations

Answer 13

cut/tear - split of skin due to crushing

Question 14

Patterned bruises

Answer 14

finger tips, belt, tram lines etc

Question 15

6 factors affecting prominence of bruising

Answer 15

skin pigmentation 
age - child delicate skin, elderly poor vessels 
fat - more subcut fat bruise easier 
coagulation disorders
resilient areas eg abdomen 
depth and location eg eyebrow

Question 16

What helps you tell direction of injury in abrasions?

Answer 16

skin tags

Question 17

Difference seen between lacerations and incisions

Answer 17

lacerations have bridging of wound

Question 18

incision

Answer 18

superficial slashing - longer than it is deep

Question 19

stab

Answer 19

thrusting wound depth > length

Question 20

Passive defensive injuries

Answer 20

hold up arms or legs for protection

sliced on back of hands and forearms

Question 21

active defensive injuries

Answer 21

victim tries to grab weapon or attackers hand

sliced on palmar aspect and webspace - thumb and 1st finger

Question 22

Self inflicted injuries appearance

Answer 22

parallel, tentative and multiple
sharp force
wrists abdomen chest

Question 23

3 types of bleed over brain

Answer 23

subdural, extradural and subarachnoid

Question 24

volume of blood lost in head injuries and consequence

Answer 24

35ml - symptomatic
40-50ml - clinical deterioration and life threatening
80-100ml - usually fatal due to increasing ICP and herniation

Question 25

Traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage

Answer 25

rapid rotation of head eg punch to jaw and tear blood vessels at base of brain
immediate unconscious and cardiac arrest

Question 26

diffuse axonal injury

Answer 26

clinical term - coma with no mass or metabolic cause

Question 27

traumatic axonal injury

Answer 27

pathological term - damaged axons due to trauma

Question 28

TAI

Answer 28

focal or diffuse and graded 1-3

Question 29

other types of injuries

Answer 29

burns, firearm and explosion

Question 30

post mortem injuries

Answer 30

clues - lack of vital reaction, parchmentation

animal or insect predation